The Conquering Hope: Monochromatic Path
by Putain de Plagieur
Summary: We live in a complex world. A world full of different people, different places, different mindsets... different goals. In such a place where evolution is primordial, but where this necessity overshadows other essential principles that humanity has considered just as important... how can one make it reflect on its values? What path must that one soul take? How will destiny play out?
1. Presentation

_**Hello everyone! How's it going?**_

_**No need to try to answer, anyway, I can't hear you, it's text on a website. But nice try.**_

_**SO! It's been a while, hasn't it? But maybe you didn't expect me to hear from me so soon!**_

_**For those of you who don't know, I had another fic named Conquering Hope, that I decided to discontinue because I realized there was going to have some problems that I couldn't correct in the future, and I kind of had to apologize by promising another, better fic, so… here we are now.**_

_**Note, if you're considering embarking on a similar project, don't be like the idiot who writes that to you.**_

_**This time, therefore, I decided to write another story entirely. Something I will think through this time (for a change), and that will fix all of those little (VERY BIG) mistakes I was going to make. A completely original story just for you guys! **__**(Coming from a fucking plagiarist, it's a hell of a thing, I know. But I love this blaze, you have no idea.)**_

**_So, here I am again! In great shape, and ready for this new adventure with you! (If you can call it an adventure, but hey, I'm pretty happy about this, ya know. Even if it just literally the same name but with some word added. Yup. I'm this type of guy.)_**

_**BUT! That is not the end. This time, I brought someone with me. Someone you may be familiar with. Someone who's been helping me with this… and who is going to speak to you at the end of the chapter, 'cause he deserves that much!**_

_**To all of you that have been waiting, thank you for your patience. Know that I have read each of your reviews, and it went directly to my heart. You can't begin to imagine how much it means to me. BUT! We'll discuss this later.**_

_**Right now, I hope you will enjoy this short chapter I am offering you today! Have a good reading, everyone!**_

* * *

_Japan, Saitama, Kawaguchi_

_28/02/1997, 8:00 PM_

* * *

Fire.

By definition, fire is the production of a flame, which is generally associated with light and the heat it produces.

It is for this reason that Man, who has managed to domesticate it over time, now uses it for many purposes. For example, it is used as lighting at night, but also as a means of heating.

And that's exactly why the fire is being used tonight. The fire in the fireplace in the living room of the house in which we find ourselves sent the light and heat it produced throughout the room.

And it was a good thing for the man who was sitting on the nearby couch, because judging by the squelch noise coming from outside and the drops running down the window, it wasn't a time to enjoy the outside air, in addition to the temperature which was quite cool.

The man in question was in his twenties, and he was quite tall. He had Indian red eyes, as well as dark brown hair, short and sharp. He wore a blue suit that covered a white shirt, with beige pants that were held by a black belt, and black slippers.

His position suggested his current state. He had his left hand on his forehead, his back slumped on the chair. A sigh came out of his lips.

"You should go to bed if you're that tired, darling."

The man turned to a voice that was familiar to him. This voice belonged to a woman, apparently his wife, of the same age as him, and who was of a smaller size. She had washed-out hazel eyes, with long apricot hair, and she wore a house dress that was tied with a bow where her right shoulder was located, as well as white slippers.

The worried look his wife gave him made the man giggle. "I know, I know. I was just resting for a short while. But I must admit, it still feels good."

"After a day like yours, it's not surprising." The woman's voice seemed to reprimand him. "You're killing yourself, Kotoya. Good thing you're not working tomorrow. It's about time you take a rest."

The man named Kotoya then got up to go to his wife. "Hey, don't you think you're looking out for me too much? You work hard too, as far as I know."

"Not as much as you do. My job is not as stressful as yours."

"You know very well that's not true. We've already had this conversation, Mariko. One job is worth another. You don't have to devalue yourself for that."

Mariko looked at him with a smile, but her eyes betrayed his sadness. "It's just... I wish we could do more. I know we're doing our best, but... I can't help but be worried."

The man embraced her tenderly. "Me too. But that's why we do what we do."

Mariko returned the gesture. "Yes, I know."

The contact of the young adults seemed to soothe them, a smile, this time sincere, forming on their faces. The couple spent a moment, which could equal eternity according to their gaze, enjoying their serenity, in a silence only cut off by the crackling of the flames and the rain manifesting its presence through the window.

_A canary sings_

_A cradle song_

_Sleep, sleep,_

_Sleep, child!_

This silence was interrupted by a voice. A voice that sang, in a gentle way.

_Above the cradle,_

_The loquat fruits sway_

_Sleep, sleep,_

_Sleep, child!_

The parents looked at each other in an amused way. "He's trying to get her to sleep again, isn't he?"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Kotoya let out a little laugh before he and his wife headed for the room where the voice came from.

_A squirrel rocks_

_The cradle by its rope_

_Sleep, sleep,_

_Sleep, child!_

It didn't take long, as the singer was in the next room, which was the family room.

And what they saw warmed their hearts.

_Dreams in a cradle,_

_With the yellow moon shining down_

_Sleep, sleep,_

_Sleep, child!_

In the room were two children, 3 and 4 years old respectively.

In the cot, under the duvet, there was a little girl, with short brown hair, and judging by her closed eyes and calm, repeated breathing, she had just fallen asleep.

Next to her was a little boy, who had short brown, pointed hair, with a small wick towards the center of his head. His eyes were hazelnut green, and he was wearing green pajamas.

Both parents smiled when they saw this scene. Mariko approached him and spoke discreetly. "You really have a beautiful voice, you know that, my little darling? Your little sister must think the same thing."

The boy turned to his parents, his cheeks red, but with a little smile on his face. "T-thank you… I-I remembered you singing that to us when we couldn't fall asleep, Mom. Komaru said she was sleepy, and I didn't want to disturb you... I thought I could take care of her."

Kotoya also approached and affectionately rubbed her hand on her son's hair. "Well, it looks like you've fulfilled your mission. You're acting like a real little guardian angel, Makoto."

Compliment that only made Makoto blush more. "Thank you, Dad." Then he started yawning. "I... I think I need to go to bed too."

"Oh, yes, I do. It's about time you went to bed." Mariko took her son in her arms and put him next to her sleeping sister, while taking care not to wake her up by covering him with the rest of the duvet she was not using. Once she put the pillow behind his head, she kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight, Makoto."

"Goodnight... Mom... Dad..." These were his last words, before sleep won him over. The parents smiled even more when they saw their son unconsciously approaching Komaru.

Once Makiro had also kissed her daughter on the forehead, she joined her husband in front of their bed, contemplating them. "Look at them... they look so peaceful, both of them."

"Yes... and honestly, that makes me feel so much better." Kotoya put her hand on his wife's shoulder to gently squeeze her against him, letting her snuggle against him. "Seeing them happy like that... I can feel my fatigue flying away, all of a sudden."

"Me too. I just hope... we can keep living like this. I want to give them the best possible life. That's what they deserve." Mariko hugged her husband again, who turned the gesture around with tenderness.

"I know. That's why we're making the necessary efforts. And that's exactly what we're going to keep doing."

* * *

**These words...**

**The words that my parents said that night... they got into my mind when I heard them.**

**Yes, I heard what they said that night. I remember it very well. Don't ask me how, or why these particular words... even now, I think it was just a coincidence.**

**However, one thing is certain to me.**

**You have no idea how touched I was by those words.**

**But I think it's better if I tell you all about it.**

**I prefer to warn you right away: it will not be a short story. In fact, it will be more complicated to follow as we go along. It will be completely unbelievable... well, if we get to that level, of course...**

**If you feel ready... well, I'll do my best to explain everything to you as best I can.**

**Uh? Who am I?**

**...I think you already have a good idea of who I am.**

**My name... is Makoto Naegi.**

**This is my story.**

**Or rather...**

_**Our story.**_

* * *

_**DANGANRONPA**_

_**THE CONQUERING HOPE: MONOCHROMATIC PATH**_

* * *

_**There we go! ONE chapter done, ONE!**_

_**How many chapters do I plan to write this time? As your good friend Makoto said, I have no idea! Don't forget that I didn't know how many chapters I would hold for the other fic, so I'm not going to make a prognosis this time!**_

_**But well, I still enjoyed writing all that, even if it was rather short. And if you ever loved it (and I hope you did), I'm glad. It's a small project that I had in mind for a while, and I wanted to take a different approach on Danganronpa, and especially on the character of Makoto. But this will be a story for next time.**_

_**And before I forget… you do need to meet the other guy behind this. He's been helping me writing this, and he's going to do this all the way despite his own projects, something that I can't be grateful enough for.**_

_**Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise fooooor… OUR SPECIAL GUEST!**_

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls; Ultimates of all ages! wesst1 here!**

**When Pupla asked me for assistance with this fic, there was no way I could turn it down. One good turn deserves another as they say, and Pupla has been a big help to me with "Everyday Life With Ultimate Girls." If it weren't for Pupla, Jibster, and Veos, I probably never would have started it, so of course when Pupla asks me for something, I don't even need to think about it.**

**So remember, read, review and I'll see you next time, either here or over at Everyday Life. Thanks for your support everyone! It means more than you can imagine.**

* * *

_**Well, this was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed the little surprise! Don't forget to go check my bro's job, it's amazing!**_

_**However, I prefer to warn you right away: don't expect a new chapter every week. I've already done enough mistakes with the other story, so this time I'm going to take the time to calculate my shot before publishing anything, so I ask you to be patient.**_

_**And most importantly-**_

_**WARNING! PLAGIARISM YOUTUBE BEGINNER MOMENT APPROACHING!**_

_**Thank you, annoying alarm... ANYWAY!**_

_**If you really liked my work, I advise you to follow me, or at least follow my story, so you don't miss any new chapters that come along (and there will be a new chapter. Not right away, but there will be one.)**_

_**So, a little moment for those who are curious: the melody that Makoto sang is a Japanese lullaby, under the title of Yurikago no Uta (Song of the Cradle in Japanese). I let you listen to it on Youtube to make your opinion, and also to immerse yourself more in the story. Remember that Makoto sings in Japanese for his entourage at that time, just to be precise.**_

_**And, I'll also let you write a comment to find out what you think about it, as well as the chapter. It will motivate me more to continue. (Well, it depends on the nature of the comment, but well, you understood.) And don't hesitate to ask questions, too! I'll try to answer them the best I can! (Except if they are related to the story, of course.)**_

_**Oh yeah, and before I forget, I will erase my other fic in the next days, however, I've heard that some of the characters had interesting talents or backstories. So, if you want to take those and want to check out my fic to remember, hurry up! I'm going to correct those characters anyway, but again, story for another time.**_

_**Well, with all this, I'm leaving you. Until next time, be well, and be happy, that's the most important thing. See ya!**_

_**Pupla out.**_


	2. The Light of the First Encounter

_**Hello everyone! How's it going?**_

_**Yeah, I'm repeating what I said last time. It must be said that with personal life, it is not easy to write, and even less to have ideas.**_

_**Because I haven't posted anything since last time, how long has it been? Like, two months? Yeah, two months, I checked. And so I had to manage between that and work.**_

_**Peace to the souls of all those who are in the same boat. You got this, people.**_

_**Then I know you've been waiting for me impatiently-**_

_**Yeah, this version doesn't have a ton of followers, but hey, I still want to say it.**_

_**ANYWAY! I'm back now, and that's what matters.**_

_**I don't think I need to explain to you what this chapter will consist of, I think that with the title, you already had an idea. And then again, it's better if you find out for yourself!**_

_**Come on, without further ado, enjoy your reading!**_

* * *

_**PROLOGUE: THE LIGHT OF THE FIRST ENCOUNTER**_

* * *

_Saitama, Kawaguchi's Shrine Park_

_17/03/2000, 5:00 PM_

* * *

The butterfly.

This animal is an insect that can be seen frequently in most countries of the world. They can be distinguished by their wide and thin wings, and in general, they are peaceful towards humans.

"Wow... how pretty..."

"I've read that there were all kinds of them. They all have different patterns on their wings."

"Waaaah... it looks so pretty up close - Ah!"

And so one of their species flew to its own destination, under the setting sun of the park...

And also under the curious gaze of two brown-haired children, from six to seven years old. The girl, who was the youngest, had a pink dress and sandals, while the boy, older and with the wick on his head, wore a green t-shirt and sandals with white shorts.

The boy put his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah... he just surprised me." She replied with a little smile. "Did you see how fast he is? I didn't think it would take off with my hand so quickly."

"Maybe it's because you tried to touch his wings?"

The girl looked at him with a surprised look. "Really? Why? I just wanted to feel them to the touch..."

"Yes, but I remember reading that butterfly wings are covered with scales. That's why they have his motives. If you touch them, they will stick to your fingers, and the other butterflies will not recognize it."

"Really? Can butterflies be recognized by the patterns on their wings?"

"Uh, I think it was also written that they have... infrared…vision? I didn't understand everything... I have to see it again at home..."

"And you think it would have stopped him from flying if I had touched them?"

"No, I think I remember they have a... membrane under the scales to fly..."

"Whew, you reassure me... I would have blamed myself otherwise…" The little girl then turned to her brother with a smile of admiration. "Wow, you know a lot, big brother! I would never have guessed!"

The older brother felt his cheeks blush and looked away, scratching his right cheek. "I-I just remembered what was in the book, that's all..."

"Komaru! Come and see!"

The voice of a little girl of the same age then caught his attention. "Ah! Chieko! I'm coming!" She then turned to her older brother. "She probably wants to talk to me about what she saw today."

"Well, go ahead! Don't let me hold you back and go to her!"

"Okay!"

And that's exactly what she did, running towards her friend with a big smile, leaving him alone under the tree they were before, watching her sister laughing with her friend named Chieko Kazuka.

_"I would have joined her, but Mom said she has to learn to grow up on her own... I don't want her to be alone, but apparently, she gets along well with Chieko, so that's fine with me!"_ thought the boy, sitting on the grass with a smile on his face. _"Well, in the end, we had a good day again!"_

Yes, another good day passed again, in the daily life of little Makoto Naegi.

One of the things we could attribute to him was that for his age, he was extremely curious. For him, every day was a day of good humor, fun and above all discovery. He was always wondering what he was going to learn during the day, and what events might go well. And he wondered all this with great enthusiasm.

A conversation between the parents of the children he heard from afar only reconfirmed what he heard from him.

"I'm sorry my son couldn't come today... yours probably feels lonely..."

"Oh, don't worry, Mrs. Kazuka! Makoto told you he understood."

"Yes, our son is smart. He's not going to blame him for catching a fever."

"I know, I know... but I think you know how much my son loves Makoto. And I know he's not the only one."

"Yes, we know. I'm rather reassured to know that our son gets along so well with the other children in the school."

"And for good reason. Makoto is a real little treasure. It is heartwarming to see a child as affectionate and caring as he is. Not to mention the fact that he's smart for his age... You raised him and Komaru really well."

"It's a parent's job..."

"I think you're doing a lot more. He and Komaru are lucky to have parents as exemplary as you are."

Makoto's smile only widened further to these words, despite Chieko's mother's compliments that made him blush again. _"Yes, I agree. Thank you, Dad, Mom."_

Another characteristic of Makoto is that he was grateful to his parents. For him, they were good people, who did everything they could to make their children happy, even if they were tired after work. But even though they worked hard, they didn't forget to spend time with them, with a big smile on their faces. How can he not admire them?

They also did everything they could to make Makoto and Komaru exemplary children... and on this point, they succeeded, according to Makoto.

Another of his particularities was that, as Chieko's mother said, he was very kind to others. He had a very good sense of social contact, and he had very good times with children of his age, and even with members of his school, simply because he had a very welcoming personality with others. Komaru was also very kind, but she was also very shy, which sometimes prevented her from interacting with others, preferring to take refuge near her brother, who helped her, and who still helps her, to get out of her shell... sometimes to his expense, but that was simply a part of a game between him and his sister.

But the children didn't only like his kindness. They were also fascinated by the fact that he had a good general culture for his age. Despite the fact that he was only seven years old, due to his curious mind, Makoto had already learned many things, and liked to share what he had learned with his entourage. Even adults were surprised, not just by his intelligence, but also by his way of expressing himself, which was admirable and made them want to listen more.

The only person who didn't think it was as extraordinary as that... was Makoto himself.

For him, everything he showed was absolutely normal. Any other child of the same age could show the same level of curiosity, learning, and kindness. It's just that he has always loved learning and connecting with others. That's how the seven years of his life went by.

_"And yet, everyone thinks I'm special just because I'm curious and kind..."_ Makoto thought with a little smile. _"But everyone can do what I can do... so why-"_

A noise in the distance made him snap out of his mind. "Huh?"

To hear well, the noise was located on the other side of the park, opposite where the parents were located, who had been joined by the girls who were showing them something in their hands. And... if he wasn't mistaken...

_"Is that... crying? Is anyone crying here?"_ Makoto thought in a worried way. _"Did someone hurt themselves?"_

The boy didn't even have time to think about calling his parents to get to the source of the noise.

It was an automatism in for. When he saw a person and felt that they were sad, if he could help that person, then he would do it without hesitation. It was another quality that others appreciated in him.

He had to get out of the park so he could see who it was. A girl of her age, blonde with long hair, greyish olive eyes with permanent blush marks on both cheeks. She was wearing a blue dress and sandals. He noticed that she was on the ground, her arms supporting the rest of her body.

But what worried him was her expression, which was a mixture of pain, fear, and sadness. He could see that she was trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.

All the signals were present. She was in pain... and he had to act. "Hey, where does it hurt?"

The little girl was apparently unaware of his presence until now, as the expression on her face showed when she raised her head slightly to see him. "W... what?"

"Did you hurt your ankle? Did you trip and fall?" He asked carefully. "Is that why you can't move?"

The girl lowered her head once again. "It's... it's none of your business."

The low but upset answer surprised Makoto a little bit, but it didn't hurt him. "I can't leave you like this." He then lowered to his injured right ankle. "It looks like it hurts a lot."

The girl turned her head towards him in a completely surprised way. "What... What are you doing?"

"I'm checking the status of your injury, of course. It needs to be treated." He answered simply and immediately, before looking at her ankle more closely. "Hmm… we should put some ice on it. It doesn't seem too serious, but you never know."

But the girl tried to get away from him with her arms, without much success. "H-hey! I told you it's none of your business! Go away!"

The tone she used on him and her reaction... Makoto had no doubt about it now.

This girl has been through something terrible... so much so that she was desperate.

"Sorry, but I can't do that."

"Huh?!"

The gravity of his voice stopped her momentarily. But it wasn't just that. He looked so... determined when he said his words. Even... his face suddenly changed its expression.

Instead of the silly boy in front of her... she felt like she was seeing someone else.

"I'm not going to let you suffer like that. Not when you need help that much."

**RIIIP!**

The sound of torn clothes did not pass by the little girl who was looking at him in shock. "W... what are you-"

"I know it's not much, but it's the least I can do. I'll ask Mom to heal your wound when she gets here." He said as he tied the fabric from the sleeve of his t-shirt around her injured ankle.

She was so surprised that she didn't move at all. Not during his intervention, nor when he came before her eyes, completely stunned.

It was only when she felt two arms hugging around her that she bent.

"It's okay... I promise. It's going to be all right."

And the words he spoke certainly did not help her. Nor was the soft tone he used. She could feel... the good it did her. Sincerity... security... comfort.

Makoto was only seven years old, but he was very persuasive. He could already feel when something was wrong, and even how much people needed help.

That is why he was not surprised at all when he heard the hiccup in her mouth turn into tears, then into cries of pain and sadness. That's why he let her hug him with all her strength, feeling her head squeeze in his shoulder, her tears wet his shirt.

Because by his nature, he was sure of one thing.

_"Everyone needs someone to help them from time to time... and if necessary, I'll become that someone."_

It was like an eternity, while the two embraced each other, one to give comfort to the other, letting the girl empty herself of her sadness and frustration. Slowly, but surely, the girl's crying calmed down, while the two children detached themselves from each other.

Makoto gently passed his hand under her eyes to wipe her face from the tears that were still running, but much less abundantly than before. "Are you feeling better?"

She was a little surprised by the gesture, but unlike earlier, she did not reject it. "Y-yeah... a little bit."

The answer made him smile. "Good for you. I'm glad I could help you."

She looked away, her cheeks a little red, but her lips formed a small smile, which widened Makoto's own.

"Makoto? What's going on? Who is she?"

The two children were a little surprised to hear the voice near them, and when they turned around, they saw that they were no longer alone. His family, consisting of a man and a woman in their thirties and a little girl, apparently younger than them, looked at them with a worried look.

Seeing that the girl seemed a little nervous, Makoto gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Mom is a good person. You can trust her." He then turned to his mother. "She hurt herself, Mom. She tripped and her ankle hurts. Can we take her home and treat her, please?"

Mariko smiles tenderly. "Of course I do, my little angel." She approached them carefully, before looking at her ankle. There, she saw the piece of cloth, and looked at her son in an amused way. "What you did was very sweet, Makoto. But you didn't have to pull your sleeve out like that."

"I-I'm sorry, Mom. But... I had nothing else on me." The boy looked nervously at his parents. "Am... am I in trouble?"

This question made the girl slightly chuckle. _"He just tried to comfort me, and he's worried about being punished for a ripped sleeve? What a dork..."_

"Of course not, little boy. We'll buy you another one later." Kotoya laughed as she joined his wife next to them, rubbing her son's hair. "For now, let's take care of your new friend."

The smile came back on the boy's face. "Okay... thank you."

"H-hey..." Komaru looked at the girl a little nervous, hiding behind her father. "Are you my older brother's friend now? So... what's your name?"

Everyone stared at the blonde girl, expecting an answer. But she seemed too tense to talk.

Fortunately, she could count on the boy next to her, because she could feel his hand taking hers. "Hey, it's okay! My parents and my little sister are good people. We're not going to hurt you." He smiles at her fully this time. "My name is Makoto. I know my mother already said it, but if I have to ask you your name, I should give you mine too, right?"

For a moment, the girl felt the blush coming back on her cheeks, but fortunately the boy didn't seem to realize it. She took a breath and smiled at him. "It's... it's Natsumi."

Makoto looked at her with big eyes of admiration. "Wow... that's a pretty name..."

This intensified the heat on Natsumi's cheeks, who suddenly looked away "D-don't play stupid..."

Komaru stepped forward slowly. "I'm sorry, big brother thinks all names are pretty..."

"Hey! That's because they all are!"

"See? There's no way to change his mind." Komaru laughed a little before smiling at him. "I'm Komaru... I hope we can become friends."

Natsumi looked at them for a short while, before smiling slightly. "That would be nice, yeah..."

She then felt Kotoya hold her in her arms in a delicate way. "Come on, the sun is setting. We have to go home if we want to take care of your boo-boo."

"Yes. Let's go home." Mariko looked at her with tenderness. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

Natsumi looked at her a little, before being consumed by fatigue and falling asleep in the arms of her new friends' father. She loved the warmth that emanated from this family...

And she wondered if she could stay like that indefinitely.

* * *

It was now 8:00 PM, and the whole family had settled comfortably into their favorite positions, while taking care of their evening guest.

The parents were seated in the kitchen near the dining table. Kotoya was watching the news on television with Mariko, who was drinking his favorite tea.

Meanwhile, in the common room, Makoto and Komaru were doing everything they could to make their new friend feel comfortable in their home, the brother talking to her about what he loved and moments shared with those he loved while the sister took the family photo album and their story an coloring books and to tell her their stories.

As for Natsumi, Mariko had done well to heal her wound, and to cover it up to protect it. She had a dish with a bowl so she could eat after the emotional flow she had just gone through. She asked for simple fried noodles, a suggestion from her friend who had convinced her that her mother's were the best, and... they were indeed delicious, she had to admit, he had not lied to her. But she doubts he would have lied about something so commonplace.

In the company of the Naegi brothers and sisters... she felt good. Really well. She had only known them for a few hours, and yet she felt that she really had a connection with them. And the fact that they were willing to share their memories with them... it made her really happy, for a reason she couldn't explain.

Even if one was a coward who loved to talk too much, and the other, a fool who loved to help people, with his deer eyes and his cute ahoge-

_"Wait, what?! Where does it come from?! Get a grip, for God's sake! You barely know this idiot!"_

"Natsumi? Are you all right? Does your wound hurt?"

She gave them a surprised look. Apparently, she looked funny, since both of them started looking at her strangely.

She coughed a little before answering. "Y-yeah, I'm fine..." She replied a little embarrassed. "I was just thinking of something... stupid." She had to think for a moment not to swear on the spot, but she didn't want to spoil the moment.

The boy sighed with relief and smiled at her, "Oh, good! I was afraid you were still in pain!"

This comment made Natsumi blush again, who frowned embarrassingly and turned her head away."Your mother took care of me, you idiot..."

But if Makoto hadn't noticed the color on her head, Komaru had paid attention. "B-but you're all red... are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"No no no everything's fine!" She said without moving. "A stupid fever's not going to do anything to me!"

"I-if you say so..."

"Yeah, I say so!"

"Hey, girls..."

"What?!"

"I think a car stopped in front of our house."

This sentence calmed the two girls who looked at him with a surprised look. "Did you... did you hear that, big brother?"

"Yes, just now. It was short, but I heard it right."

**RIIING!**

The children heard the parents talking, Kotoya first. "Ah! Maybe it's Natsumi's parents."

The girl suddenly didn't feel comfortable. But she felt Makoto squeeze her shoulder with a smile, a gesture she appreciated inside.

"I'll open up and see." They heard Mariko open the door, and then-

"Good evening, Naegi-san. I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

There, Natsumi looked away. "O-Ojii-san?!"

The Naegi children did not really understand what was happening in front of them. "Ojii-san? Is your grandfather picking you up?"

"K-Kuzuryu-san?! N-no, not at all! Please, come in!"

Komaru and Makoto were surprised to hear their mother's slightly worried tone. _"Mom and Dad know him? Who in the world could that be?"_

"Please forgive our casual attire, sir." Kotoya also seemed nervous after the man broke into the family home. "I... I must confess that the visit surprises us a lot."

"Yes, I suppose so. Do not worry, I just came here for... a personal problem."

"A... personal problem?"

"Yes, without going into details, I heard that my granddaughter Natsumi had fled the house, and I hoped she had found refuge in one of the houses in the neighborhood."

"N-Natsumi, you say?! Is that your granddaughter?! But... that's perfect, sir! She is with us right now!"

Komaru turned to the equally surprised concerned. "Ku... Kuzuryu? Is it... is it an important family?"

She nodded slowly without saying a word or turning to her. She seemed... thoughtful.

A sigh of relief escaped from the grandfather's lips. "Ah, that's good. You have no idea how much you're taking a thorn in my side. Where is she now?"

"In the common room, sir. The children are with her." The footsteps came closer. "B-but I have to warn you, she sprained her ankle when she fell and... we did our best to make her feel better."

"And I thank you for that."

The door then opened to introduce the two children Naegi to Natsumi's apparent grandfather. A tall man for his age, almost two meters tall, at least sixty years old, with long white hair that reached to his shoulder, as well as a long white goatee reaching to his chest. On the side of his skull, lines without hair could be seen, forming tiger-like marks, as well as a tiger-like mark on the right side. He also had the symbol of a nine-headed dragon on one of his front pockets. He wore a purple suit with a white shirt underneath and a black tie, as well as black pants held by a black belt and black shoes.

The way he seemed to examine the three children in silence did not leave Makoto, Komaru or even Natsumi indifferent. Except that where Komaru was really afraid, to the point of joining his brother, and where Natsumi looked at him nervously, Makoto looked him straight in the eye... in a curious and impressed way.

Natsumi finally spoke, but his word seemed muffled. "O-Ojii-san..."

"You have worried me a lot, Natsumi." He spoke as he approached her and knelt before her. "I know you don't like staying at the sanctuary, but you know very well that you shouldn't venture into the unknown so late at night. Anyone could have taken advantage of the opportunity."

The girl seemed ashamed after her words. "I... I know..."

"She looked terrified, sir."

All heads turned to Makoto, the grandfather raising an eyebrow. "Terrified, you say?"

"I-I could be wrong, sir. But when I found her wounded on the floor, Natsumi..." He turned to his friend. "It's like... like she saw something she shouldn't have seen. She was hurt, scared, and... and lost, I think." He turned towards the grandfather, making him look as serious as possible. "So please don't be too hard on her. I really don't think it was her fault."

Komaru was almost beginning to cry for his older brother, who may have used a bad tone on this terrifying person. And Natsumi was no better. She was paralyzed with fear, due to the fact that she had just seen her friend stand up in front of her grandfather, probably the most intimidating person she knew.

The boy and the old man looked at each other for a while, in a tension as silent as it was cold. Then...

"...I see. What is your name, and that of your sister, young man?"

The children were a little surprised, on the one hand by the question, and on the other hand by the tone used, which seemed... softer.

The boy replied all the same. "M-Makoto, sir. And my sister's name is Komaru."

But this surprise was nothing compared to seeing this intimidating man... smile in an honest way.

"Well, Makoto, Komaru, on behalf of the Kuzuryu clan, I thank you and your family for taking care of my granddaughter. I'd rather not think about what would have happened to him if you hadn't been there."

Natsumi was completely overwhelmed by the reaction. It was clear that she would never have imagined it would end this way. Nor Komaru, who seemed to relax a little bit at the sight of the turn of events.

Makoto just smiled proudly at him. "I understand. Family is important."

"You couldn't be more right." He took Natsumi in his arms and lifted her up: "We must now go home. The clan is worried." He then headed for the door-

"Sir?"

He stopped when he heard the boy's voice again. He turned his head, intrigued. "What is it?"

"I know it may seem a little sudden, but... Natsumi may need help to overcome what she's been through." He stared at him then, his serious look returning. "Can you allow me to help her as a friend, please?"

The request took the two Kuzuryu a little short, and they were all the more surprised as Komaru joined him immediately afterward. "M-me too, sir! Natsumi is my friend! I don't want to leave her alone if she needs me!"

Natsumi could feel her eyes tingling again, with a smile on her lips being drawn impulsively.

As for the old man, he couldn't help but smile too. "I shall think about it."

And with these last words, he left the room, letting his granddaughter say goodbye to them with her hand, a gesture that the two children returned with a smile. They heard the old man thank the parents again before leaving them, not without complimenting their children on the way.

Once they heard the car leaving, Kotoya's voice was heard. "Makoto! Komaru! Please come to the dining room! We need to talk!"

The children were surprised when they heard these words, especially Makoto. _"Dad seems so... worried. Is there a problem?"_

So they went where their parents asked for them, and sat on the chairs in front of their parents when they were signed. The look they gave them was beginning to worry them.

"Makoto, Komaru." The father's voice made them look at him in a surprised way. "I didn't think we'd have to talk to you about it so soon, but now that you've met them... you'd better know right away."

The children began to listen attentively despite the surprise.

After taking a good breath, the father finally decided to talk. "The girl you helped today, Makoto... she's part of a yakuza clan. The Kuzuryu clan, to be exact."

Komaru seemed a little lost. "Yakuzas? Are they important people?"

"Yes, sweetheart." The mother spoke. "These are people who are doing their best to... help maintain order in the neighborhood. Only... their job is a dangerous one."

"Dangerous?" Makoto was curious. "Is that why Natsumi's grandfather said what he said?"

"Exactly. You should know that... the world we live in is not as healthy and safe as what we are trying to show you, children. Many people, including children your age, don't have the chance to move like us right now, and some... won't hesitate to hurt you."

Komaru began to be afraid. "Hu… hurting us? But why?"

"Because some people are like that, my darling. I know it's cruel, but unfortunately, these days, there are many people who like to do harm, whether for their own personal gain or just because they like it." Kotoya spoke in turn. "And in Natsumi's family environment... violence and danger are commonplace. These are notions with which they must constantly live."

Makoto also began to frown with sadness. "Does that mean that-"

Mariko smiled at him in a reassuring way. "We're not going to stop you from being friends with Natsumi if you really want to be. After all, I can see that you like her and want to help her... but I would like you to promise one thing to your father and me."

The children looked at her attentively, patiently waiting for her request.

"If you have the opportunity to do it... avoid trouble at all costs. The world is full of dangers, especially for children. And... I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to you."

His last words were accompanied by little tears that threatened to fall from his eyes, which shocked the children. And judging by Kotoya's expression, he too thought the same thing.

"Okay! I promise!" Komaru got up and threw himself into his mother's arms. "I don't want to see crying! I promise I won't get in trouble!"

Makoto looked at his parents for a moment before joining them. "Me too. Mom, Dad, if I can... I won't put myself in danger. I promise."

They felt that the children were serious when they made their promise, especially Makoto. The father joined them in their collective hug, sharing their time between members of the same family... symbolic of their hope for the best possible future.

* * *

**This promise...**

**I remember it as if it was yesterday.**

**When my parents had asked me to stay out of danger if necessary, I could see everything.**

**The growing fear when they mentioned the environment in which Natsumi lived... the desire to protect us when they asked us for this request... and the relief when we had accepted.**

**I knew they had good intentions, but despite what people say about me, I still wondered why.**

**...and with that question, I asked myself three more.**

**In what world do we live in exactly?**

**What are the things that make it so difficult to live with?**

**And above all...**

**How can this be remedied?**

* * *

_**AND FLASH! I'M THERE AGAIN!**_

_**(Kuddos to those who get the reference.)**_

_**Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I know, it's surprising, it's been a long time! I myself am surprised that it took me so long to get back in the bath after work!**_

_**But then, you won't hear from me for a while after that... because of Pokémon. At least you know why.**_

_**ANYWAY! The prologue is there, or at least the first part (because yes, I don't know yet how to organize all this joyful bazaar. Oh, joy.), and I'm pretty sure you didn't expect who I was going to introduce in this chapter, and if you liked it (feel free to tell me, it's always nice), that's great.**_

_**And I reassure you, it is the beginning of a long line of surprises! Now, to know if they are good or bad... it will be discovered in due course, hehe! ;)**_

_**As you will have understood, the Makoto in my story will be very different from the Makoto in canon, so I will allow myself several liberties with this character, who will therefore become my version. If you have any questions, let me know, that's what comments are for!**_

_**Oh yeah, and I also am on ArchiveofourOwn now! If you never heard of it, go check it out, it's great! And don't mind telling me hello in the comments!**_

_**And speaking of comments…**_

* * *

_**Eternal4Ever: I KNOW! IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK, MY DUDE!**_

_**King Kimi: I shall make it through, Kemosabe. **_

_**doomqwer: Yeah, good idea. I plan to do something similar, my man.**_

_**The Overlord of Ice: Oh, you have no idea. This is only the beginning. Also, never noticed it… ah well. Send love to my friend/bro/coworker for me! ;)**_

_**The Wolf Paladin: Why, thank you! Like I said, I plan to make it the spiritual revival of my previous fic, so you can expect a lot of similarities! As for the characters… well, you shall see how I will handle it.**_

_**Blue trooper: See the comment above. Also, thanks!**_

_**MaiBilaro: I just did. ;)**_

_**Ace Alucard Lwolf: Well, only one way to find out! ;)**_

_**Sabandija: Thank you! Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I already figured it was a bit of a problem. Don't worry though, I plan to fix that. A la prochaine! ;)**_

_**TheLadyRedHeart: Thank you, you're too kind! I hope you're ready to die of diabetes tonight! XD In all seriousness, thank you. And thank you for the invitation at your Discord! If anyone is interested, go ask her, she's a real great mate, and the server is full of great fellas too!**_

* * *

**What's going on Ladies and Gentlemen? Wesst1 back again in Pupla's author notes. Still on break, but doing a little bit of proofreading, not that this chapter needed much of it. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter my buddy Pupla wrote, I know I did.**

* * *

_**Thanks again for that, buddy. :)**_

_**Well, now that everything has been said, I hope you will enjoy the next ideas I bring to the next chapter, and that the wait was worth it, and that it will still be! Until next time, be well, and be happy, that's the most important thing. See you next time!**_

_**Pupla out.**_


	3. A World Changing

_**Hey, everybody! How's it going?**_

_**No, I'm still not changing my opening line. Deal with it.**_

_**Here I am again, as we start the New Year (late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, by the way)... and I, the idiot that I am, don't even prepare myself in advance and start writing now, a week and a half before Christmas! Sword and Shield, I curse you! (Anyway, I had warned you in advance, so well...)**_

_**We'll make it short this time. This chapter, as the name suggests, will report changes in this alternate universe. We started in the previous chapter, we'll continue in this vein!**_

_**And what will those changes consist of, you ask me? Well, let's find out together! Enjoy your reading!**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 1: A WORLD CHANGING…**_

* * *

_Saitama, Kawaguchi Elementary School "Dawn"_

_03/04/2000, 7:45 AM_

* * *

School.

It is an educational place, which is the very symbol of learning and education. It is generally here that children are taught, with few exceptions, to become good people, inviting them of course to learn and work well, but also to connect with people outside the family cocoon.

Of course, not all pupils see it in the same light. Some students saw it as a chore because it limited their freedoms. There were also those who made fun of the rules, and they usually ended up on the wrong side of the scales.

Of course, there weren't only bad sides in this story, as this category was a minority most of the time. Among the "good students" were those who love it because it allows them to find their friends. There were those who were eager to see what they were going to learn.

And then there were those who merged those two particular visions. It wasn't hard to guess that Makoto was one of them.

"Wow...it's so much bigger than I thought! It's going to be great!"

And the fact that he was admiring and optimistic about finding a new school only made the experience more joyful.

That's right, Makoto was starting his first year of elementary school today. A new stage in his life was opening up before him, and he was looking forward to discovering new things and sharing them with the friends he would make in the future.

Oh, of course, there weren't all good things. Komaru had made quite a scene to get him to stay with her, and when his parents explained to him that he had no choice, she made sure not to interact with him for the rest of the previous week. To be honest, Makoto had felt a little hurt that his own little sister was avoiding him on purpose for something that wasn't under his control.

But that was at the very beginning. He soon realized that the reason she'd reacted that way was that she was afraid of being alone, which is why their parents wanted her to start not depending on him anymore. He would have come to her for help, but he too had to learn something: that sometimes the best thing to do was to wait. And when she came to him of her own free will, she ended up crying in her older brother's arms, and of course he had also cried, to the point that he fell asleep with her the whole night. A reconciliation that ended with a weekend where they stayed together and enjoyed their time together, in joy and good humor.

Komaru didn't stop herself from having tears in her eyes again when their parents dropped Makoto off in front of the school... but that didn't stop her from smiling and wishing him good luck either. It was supposed to be an important day for her brother, and she wasn't going to ruin it because she was sad. Her only regret was that she couldn't stay with her parents to see if everything was going well, since she also had to go to her own school - a regret shared by her parents. But they thought everything was going to be all right. There was nothing to worry about as Makoto was old enough to get by. All they could do was wish him well. That he could blossom into the new stage of his life, and if possible, start it with someone important to him.

And without knowing it themselves, that's what was going to happen.

Getting back to Makoto, the boy had decided to explore the school a little bit, since he'd been dropped off at his request a little while before the principal's speech for newcomers. He'd already memorized all the important places in the school: classrooms, teachers' room, principal's office, activity room, playground, toilets, and everything else. Apparently, the school also had other buildings nearby, such as a gymnasium and library, but they weren't accessible yet, so Makoto had to be patient. And anyway, the speech was about to start soon, so the boy went to the courtyard where most of the other students had gone.

And among those students... Makoto recognized one of them right away. And that filled him with joy.

"Natsumi!"

The student in question turned to him with a look of surprise, and as soon as she saw him, a small smile appeared on her face. "Ah. H-hey."

The student joined her immediately with a big smile. "I'm so happy to see you again! I was worried I wouldn't hear from you! How's your ankle?"

"It feels better..." She then threw a little spike at him. "But still, it's been over a week. You didn't think I was going to stay like this forever, did you?"

"Of course not, but I wanted to be sure!" The immediate and enthusiastic response, of course, emphasized that he hadn't felt a thing. "I'm so glad you're all right!"

And the fact that he smiled honestly made the girl blush and look away. "Y-you said that already, you idiot..."

The poor boy didn't even realize the state he had just put her in, and looked at her curiously. "_Maybe she doesn't know how to say things to people... that's probably why she's behaving like this. Well, I'll just have to help her then! Hopefully we'll be in the same class!_"

"Children! A little quiet, please! We're going to call your names to get you into your classes!"

And just so, judging by the adult who had just spoken, which gradually caught the attention of all the pupils. Once silence had been established in the courtyard, several adults walked towards the group of children, each with a card in his hand, and looked at it before saying the person's name out loud, and then gave the name of the class to which the pupil was going to be assigned, the person concerned having to join the designated group. And this happened smoothly throughout the rest of the process.

"Natsumi Kuzuryu?"

And it was her friend's turn to join a woman, not without giving her a discreet glance.

The boy couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He hadn't seen Natsumi since the day she sprained her ankle. And when his grandfather came to pick her up, he just wanted to say that he wanted to help her. Basically, he was starting to get a little scared that he had chased them away with an overly ambitious statement, despite the old man's positive reaction. And now that she was in the same school as him, he was really hoping that he could be in the same class to make up for lost time.

"Makoto Naegi?"

And when he looked back at the origin of the voice, that's when his joy really kicked in.

Since the person who had just called him was the same person who'd called Natsumi a while before.

With a big smile, he walked towards the adult, and when he got to her, he bowed slightly, as his parents had taught him a few days before to prepare himself. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

The woman smiled briefly and nodded her head. "Likewise, Makoto. Please join the others behind me."

Which he did without hesitation as he nodded his head, finding himself next to Natsumi once again. Natsumi whispered in his ear in amusement, "You looked like an idiot."

"Really?" Makoto looked at her in a curious way. "Why do you say that?"

"I'll explain it later."

When all the students in the group had gathered, the teacher called her group to their class.

* * *

"First of all, good morning to all. It's a pleasure to have you all as my students."

Those were the first words the teacher said as the students took their places in the classroom, all standing, attentive to the adult in front of the blackboard. Of course, Makoto and Natsumi stood right next to each other, near the window.

"Let me introduce myself." She took a piece of chalk to spell out her name on the blackboard. "My name is Haruka Yamazaki. I'll be your teacher for the next three years. My goal will be to guide you during your time here, of course in the lessons and exercises we do together, but also in your growth in general. I sincerely hope that the time we spend together will help you mature properly... and I think now is a good time for your first lesson."

The children looked at her curiously, wondering what she was going to do. And that was her way of saying it again. "In the world we live in, respect is extremely important, because you need the people around you to develop, whether adults or others your own age.

That's why the first lesson I'm teaching you right now is to respect others. Of course, I'm talking about myself and the other teachers, as well as all of you. But I am also talking outside the walls of this school. I insist because you will discover in time that some people do not apply this fundamental rule, and that this notion, although important in our society, has a tendency to disappear for various reasons, and it is better to warn you and educate you as soon as possible."

The teacher let the students digest the speech, watching them turn to each other and whisper their thoughts on the subject. As far as Makoto was concerned, that's exactly what he did with Natsumi, who didn't seem interested in his speech.

"And that's precisely why," Haruka raised her voice again to get their attention back, "your first step towards respect for all of you will be to call each other by your last name. This little formality will be put in place for the first few months to come, as it is the basis of respect. If you feel that you are close enough to each other, you will be able to call each other by your first name. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The response was almost collective, with a few children choosing not to answer for various reasons.

"Good, then... You may sit down now." Which they all did as soon as they were given permission.

Once the slight commotion from the chairs was over, the teacher began to speak again. "Now, we're going to start with the second step of respect... as soon as I call your last name, you're going to stand up and introduce yourself to the whole class, so that you can get a little closer together. To make things easier, we're going to proceed in alphabetical order."

And that's how she started calling the students one by one. Looking at the students a little closer, Makoto realized they were all students he'd never seen before. Luckily, the one person he recognized was Natsumi, and as long as they stayed together, it suited him perfectly.

"Oh... Kuzuryu-san?"

And speaking of Natsumi, the girl stood up to introduce herself when she heard his name. She seemed a little nervous when she started looking at the other students, but when she saw Makoto smiling at her, she felt more confident.

"My name is Kuzuryu Natsumi. I...you may have, but I'm a member of an important family. N-nice to meet you...I think."

The murmurs began to rise in the classroom as soon as she sat down in her chair.

"Important family? What does she mean?"

"I don't know... but I think she's rich."

"What's a girl like her doing here?"

Those whispers began to make her uncomfortable. Makoto was able to see that without a hitch. And to be honest, it was starting to bother him. "_She comes from a big family, so what? We're all supposed to get along._"

Luckily, the teacher was quick to put a stop to it. "Children, the introductions aren't over yet. You'll have to wait until after the class is over to talk amongst yourselves, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." She started reading her list again. "Naegi-kun?"

The student quickly stood up and turned to the rest of the class. "Good morning, everyone! My name is Naegi Makoto! I'm friends with Kuzuryu-san! And I hope we can all get along well, too!"

The boy was careful to use a calm and enthusiastic tone, inviting friendship from those around him. And when he stood up, he saw that the students immediately felt more relaxed, forgetting the murmurs of the previous introduction.

"Thank you, Naegi-kun. You can sit down now. And you too, Kuzuryu-san."

_"Uh? Didn't she sit down?"_ And no, actually, she had waited for Haruka to tell them before doing anything, letting the adult do her job.

The girl took the opportunity to whisper in his ear, "We'll talk about this later."

Makoto looked at her curiously, but nodded his head, happy to be able to make up for all the lost time.

After the other students had introduced themselves, the teacher stood back in front of the board. "Very well, children. Now that everyone knows each other, we'll go ahead like this. We will spend the rest of the morning getting to know each other's schedules for this year. Then we will spend the afternoon visiting the school so that you will be familiar with the environment in which you will grow up. Is that clear to everyone?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good, then without further ado, let's start with the rest of the week."

* * *

And so, the two friends' first morning at their new school came to an end. During their time in class, the children learned what subjects they were going to learn this year, and they were once again treated to a speech about respect for others, something that annoyed Natsumi, judging by her disinterested look, in addition to those furrowed brows.

However, Makoto had also noticed that there might be something else. She seemed to be upset about something... but what? "_Well, I'll just ask her during lunch, it's time for me to ask her._"

And indeed, it was time for the students to eat. Since Makoto's parents couldn't pick him up, he had to go to the school canteen to eat. And apparently, Natsumi was there too, which was the perfect opportunity for him to spend time with her.

So he went to join her at the canteen and spotted her alone at a table, isolated from the others, which intrigued him a lot. "Why is she alone? Yamazaki-sensei told us it was important to be together." He approached her with his tray full in his hands. "Hey, Natsumi!"

The girl turned around, with a little smile, and waved her hand. "Took you long enough to find me."

"I'm sorry, but there are a lot of people here." He apologized and sat down next to her. "And then, I hesitated a little about the food. I wanted to taste a little bit of everything, but… I wanted to test their noodles too."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." The blonde rolled her eyes, but there was no animosity in her voice. "Come on, let's hurry up. I've waited long enough."

"Okay! Enjoy your meal!"

And while Makoto enjoyed his noodles, Natsumi had a more humble way of eating her bento, which she'd brought with her for the occasion.

But it didn't take Makoto long to realize that his friend was in a bad mood. So he turned to her after "What's wrong? Are you... feeling a little bit lonely?"

The girl seemed a little surprised by the question, but quietly approached him to whisper, "You're with me, you idiot. I don't see how I could feel lonely."

"Yes, I'm here, but... I mean, I heard other students talking behind your back-"

"I don't need a bunch of morons talking to me behind my back." Natumi's tone became much more vicious. "If they don't want to hang out with me, too bad for them. And if they have a problem with me, they'll come and tell me to my face."

The boy looked at her worriedly. "B-but... Yamazaki-sensei said we have to respect each other-"

There, the girl raised her voice. "Yeah, and we see how that works! You heard what the others thought of me!"

And that allowed the others to hear them back.

"Hey, it's the daughter of the important family. She talks about us like we're her dogs..."

"Well, she probably thinks she's on top of us. Why did she decide to join the school in the first place?"

"Probably to hang out with her boyfriend... too bad, he doesn't look so bad..."

"You'll see it's coming. I wouldn't be surprised if he became like her. You know what they say, the sheep always follow the leader..."

Even when whispered, they were not discreet. Makoto could hear everything, and frankly, it hurt him a little. "_But that's not fair! She didn't do anything to them! And why are we talking about me like that too?!_"

And Natsumi could hear, too. It made her even angrier, because she suddenly turned around and shouted to the girls, "Hey! If we're bothering you, you have to say so!"

That was enough to make them run away, but the commotion drew the attention of many people in the canteen.

It was also enough to infuriate Natsumi, who got up, grabbed her lunch box and headed for the exit. "That's it! I'm out of here!"

"W-what?!" Makoto was shocked by the decision, before getting up to join her. "Hey, wait for me!"

* * *

The boy ran to the courtyard, where he quickly found Natsumi, sitting behind a tree, hiding in his shadow, his lunch box between his legs. He could hear her grumbling hostilely, "Fucking idiots..."

"Hey, Natsumi."

She didn't even look back at him. She only knew from the tone of his voice that he was worried. She didn't seem surprised. After a few seconds of silence, she giggled haughtily. "You'd rather hang out with the rich guy's daughter who looks down on people?"

Her tone was aggressive, but the boy knew she wasn't angry with him. "They're the ones who started talking about you behind your back. You didn't do anything to deserve this."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't stop you from judging me..." She began to sigh. "I knew this would happen... and now you're in their crosshairs too."

It only made her sadder. "...are there really people like that?"

"You saw what happened. You're easy prey for them." Natsumi turned to him with a serious look. "But if you want my opinion, it's not just because you're following me."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Another sigh escaped his lips. "Didn't you see how almost everyone looked at you when you bowed down to the teacher? In their heads, you're already a kiss ass!"

"A... a kiss ass?"

"Yeah, someone who sucks up to anyone to get himself liked. And frankly, I'm trying to be polite here, but it's impossible to be in this case."

That explanation confused the boy. "B-b-but... Yamazaki-sensei said-"

"Yeah, you said that already. But you're the only one who's going to try to play by those rules. Why do you think I'm getting mad?"

That comment saddened the boy. "...I just thought it was the right thing to do."

Makoto wasn't a fool, despite his attitude. His parents had told him that some people only want to hurt others. After all, that's why he promised them he'd stay out of danger whenever he could.

But he was still surprised by what he had heard.

These girls hadn't hurt him physically, but making someone feel uncomfortable because of his family situation was low. "_Why do people have to be mean?_"

"Knowing you, surely."

The boy seemed surprised by his friend's words, which seemed to have only a tiny little smile on the corner of his mouth. "Oh... really?"

"I mean, if I didn't know you, I would have thought so too." She confessed by staring at him. "But for all I know, I think that's just the way you are. You don't think badly like everyone else."

A little smile appeared on her face. "Well, I like helping others. It's something I've liked to do since I was a kid, you know!"

"Yeah, that's cool, I guess." She frowned. "But you can see it's not gonna be the same now... and it's all because we're getting along."

"Oh, don't say that. We may have got off on the wrong foot, but we're gonna get through it!" Makoto gave him a big smile. "I'll help you so we can all get along better! ...so you won't have to feel lonely anymore!"

A smile that seemed brighter from Natsumi's point of view as she looked away with blushing cheeks. "Y-you're with me, you idiot..."

**GROOOOOWL!**

The moment was interrupted by a sound that Makoto recognized immediately... with a little shame. "Ah...that's me. I didn't eat too much, considering what happened..."

This answer made her laugh a little. "Are you serious? I saw you gobble your noodles as your life depended on it!"

"W-well, I love noddles..." He replied, looking away. "I didn't think to bring anything with me... I'll have to wait until I get home now. I doubt if the canteen will serve me more than once a day."

He heard a sigh escaping from Natsumi. "...well, then I guess I have no choice."

"...uh?"

He turned around to see Natsumi handing him sushi. His lunch box was open, revealing a box that was almost full.

"I've had too much prepared for today. I couldn't finish it all, so I don't mind sharing... well, only if you want."

The boy didn't even notice the look on Natsumi's face, and gave her another smile. "Wow... thank you very much, Natsumi! I knew you were nice deep down!"

And of course, he didn't even realize the state his comment put his friend in. "W-w-wait and sit down to dinner. We'll be back in school soon."

"Okay! Enjoy your meal!"

"Yeah, yeah, you said that already too."

And so, the two children shared their meal together, in their own little world, totally forgetting about the misadventures they had just had...

Or at least for now.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER**_

* * *

_**BEHOLD! A CHAPTER IN TWO PARTS! SURPRISE!**_

_**Yep. I'm so lazy, I'm doing my chapters in parts now.**_

_**Anyway, all kidding aside... this time, the separation is explainable. I'm not used to finishing my chapters in a cliffhanger (even if it's not really a cliffhanger in this case), but I can assure you that everything will be explained.**_

_**In the next chapter.**_

_**Hey, no need to get upset! It'll be released next week, early February, promise! I'm not joking about this kind of thing!**_

_**You shall have your answers, dear readers, that, I can assure you. Until then, take care! See you very soon!**_

_**Pupla out.**_


	4. And Creating

_**Hello.**_

…

_**Yeah, that's all I could find to say. Well, at least I changed the intro, so that's okay, right?**_

…

_**ANYWAY!**_

_**If you want the answers to your questions, you'll have to wait for the end of the chapter that you've all been waiting for (or not). Stay until the end, I think it would be interesting for some to learn. Enjoy the reading!**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 1 (PART 2): ...AND CREATING**_

* * *

It wasn't long before the two children finished their meal in time for class. They had time to talk a little bit about their lives to each other, just to get a little closer.

Natumi wasn't very surprised by the boy's story. He was just a boy like the others, who had a life like the others... but who had his heart on his hands. If he was telling her the truth (and she couldn't see why he would lie to her, not that she thought he could), he liked to learn new things in order to help others... something that made him a little naive, but also very endearing and a little cute-

"_Wha- oh no, again?! Stop thinking, you stupid brain! He's just a dumb friend, that's all!_" She was lucky Makoto was so oblivious, otherwise he'd have noticed the red on her cheeks.

As for Makoto himself, he seemed fascinated by what his girlfriend was telling him. Apparently, the family she belonged to, the Kuzuryu Clan, was a family that was trying to protect the neighborhood, and even beyond. She had also told him about her older brother, Fuyuhiko, whom she nicknamed Fuyu (and advised to call him that too, just for fun), as well as her... adopted sister?

Yeah, it seemed really weird for Makoto. And Natsumi had to explain to him that this girl named Peko Pekoyama had been taken in by her family... but strangely enough, she was quite evasive on the subject. She didn't seem very cheerful. "_But why? Doesn't she get along with her?_"

He didn't have time to ask her the question, for the ringing of the bell announced the return to class... or rather, she reminded them to gather in court for a thorough tour of the school. When they arrived, the teacher made the call to make sure that all the students were present. And once this was done...

"Good. I see that everyone is present and on time, that's perfect. Now it seems to me the time has come to visit the school grounds as we agreed..." She stopped for a little while, before her face took a stricter turn. "At least we would have, if I hadn't heard about an incident that happened in the canteen a few minutes ago."

At these words, the students started whispering among themselves, speculating about what she was going to say.

Haruka then turned to Natsumi. "From what I've heard, Kuzuryu-san, you're directly connected to the incident. Can you explain what happened, please? I'd like to know your side of the story."

Natsumi was a little nervous before replying, "Uh... well, I was eating with Ma- well, with Naegi... a-and I heard people talking behind our backs."

"You did?" The teacher raised her eyebrows. "And what exactly did you hear?"

"We wondered what a girl... like me was doing in school-"

"It's not true, ma'am! She doesn't tell everything!"

Everyone turned to the girl who raised her voice. The teacher didn't seem cheerful about the intervention. "I don't believe I gave you permission to speak, Wanabe-san."

"But it's true, madam! Me and Nana heard her and his friend complaining about us!" The girl insisted. "She said she didn't need us, and if we bothered her, we should tell her!"

"Y-yeah... she really yelled at us, too. And she still wonders why she's all alone..."

The friend was hesitant, but her words resonated with the rest of the class who seemed to agree with this opinion. Seeing this, Natsumi lowered her head. "_I knew it would happen, but I didn't think it would happen on the first day. So much for trying to be nice..._"

"No, that's wrong!"

This time, everyone turned to Makoto, even Natsumi... And that's when she opened her eyes in surprise.

That look on his face... it was exactly the same look he'd given her when he'd comforted her in the park. A look of pure determination.

"If she yelled at you, it wasn't just because she was angry or because she didn't respect you!" He began to fix his gaze on the two girls. "It's also because you were whispering the same argument behind her back! And that's when she said she came from a big family. I heard you!"

Then one of the girls got angry. "Hey, you heard how she talked to us! You're her friend, but that doesn't mean you can say she's innocent in all this."

"It's true that Natsumi got carried away. But that's because she doesn't know how to react. She probably hasn't had a chance to talk to other people like us." He frowned unhappily as he looked around to catch everyone's eye. "If she really felt superior to all of us, she wouldn't have wanted to be with us at all. And she's certainly not going to change her mind if you don't give her a chance to express herself with you. How would you react if you were in the same situation?"

The children were a little shocked by his reasoning, but said nothing to contradict his words. Natsumi looked at him shocked, totally unaware of the smile that formed on his lips.

Even Haruka stared at him silently for a little while before coughing to regain the attention of the students. "I completely agree with Naegi-kun. I told you about respect earlier, and respect also includes not letting other people's social ranks stop you from getting along, or worse, hurting them." She turned to the two girls. "Wanabe-san, Nakamura-san, we'll have a little chat after the tour."

The two girls bowed their heads. "Yes, ma'am. We're sorry."

"It's not me you have to apologize to." Then she turned to Natsumi. "Kuzuryu-san, you too, please. I think you need help interacting with others. But don't worry, we've been warned in advance. That's why I would like us to discuss the program that we will establish together, okay?"

She was a little surprised, but nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Finally, she turned to Makoto, looking a little more relaxed with a smile on her face. "Naegi-kun, I know you wanted to defend your friend, but... try calling her by his last name during school hours, okay?"

That made Makoto blush. "O-okay. I'll try to do that next time."

"That's all I ask." She then spoke to the rest of the students. "Come on everyone, we've wasted enough time as it is. Follow me!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

And so, the students began to follow the teacher while discussing what they were going to find out. They talked about what had just happened with Makoto and Natsumi, the latter preferring to keep a distance from the rest of the class.

"Well, I hope things will work out now..." The boy sighed, before smiling at his friend as he took his hand. "Come on, let's go. I've visited a little, so we won't get lost."

"O-okay..."

The two of them started following their group. The boy noted Natsumi's slightly nervous tone, but since she wasn't looking him in the eye when he turned towards her, he couldn't see her expression...however, he didn't need to.

The fact that he could feel her hand squeezing his had already told him that she was feeling good at the time, and that was what mattered.

* * *

The evening was just beginning to rise in the orange sky, heralding the end of the day for many people... but for Makoto and a few of his classmates, it was still a matter of waiting a little longer.

Indeed, Natsumi and the two girls who had been talking to him behind his back had to talk to the teacher about the incident that had happened in the canteen this morning, and like the good friend he was, Makoto had decided to stay for Natsumi until his parents arrived, despite being told he could leave.

He'd been waiting for a little while for the little reunion to end, and he was starting to worry. "_I hope everything goes well... not just for Natsumi, but for the other two girls as well. Everyone needs to learn from their mistakes._"

And that's when the door opened, letting the three girls leave the room... in a much friendlier, if somewhat nervous, tone. "S-so... I'll see you tomorrow together, if you like?"

"Y-yeah, let's do that."

"A-any better. See you tomorrow, then." The two girls turned to Makoto and smiled nervously at him. "H-hey, Naegi-san...we're sorry for talking to you behind your back too. It wasn't nice."

"Y-yes, sorry..."

Seeing the look in the girls' eyes, Makoto understood right away that they seemed to understand their mistake. So he smiled at them in a friendly way. "Hey, it's okay! As long as we can solve those problems, there's no harm done! Let's just make sure it doesn't happen again!"

The girls had a surprised expression, which was followed by a smile, and it was the girl behind her friend who spoke, "E-even after what happened... you're willing you forget about it? Just... just like that?"

"We can all make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them." He answered them with sincerity in his voice. "I think it's good to make a fresh start. Do you wanna be friends?"

"Y-yeah! We'd like that very much!" The girl in front answered with a big smile, which her friend nodded her head with her own shyer smile. "Well, we've got to get going! See you tomorrow, Naegi-san! Kuzuryu-san!"

"S-see you tomorrow..."

"See you tomorrow, Wanabe-san! Nakamura-san!"

"Yeah, bye..."

And so the two girls left, leaving the other two children with their teacher.

Natsumi approached Makoto and asked him with a curious tone of voice and a raised eyebrow, "Seriously? You're really not mad at them? Aren't you a little too nice around the edges?"

"No, I don't think so. They didn't mean any harm." Makoto replied, turning to her. "It's true it wasn't nice of them, but I don't think they're used to having someone who's different from them. Mum and Dad always told me that sometimes people just need someone to show them that they just want to be close to them."

"And that's a very good lesson they taught you, Naegi-kun." Haruka joined them outside, looking at him with a little smile. "You're still young, so I think forgiveness can be a very good lesson for all of you." She turned to Natsumi. "Even you, Kuzuryu-san. Even if your background is hostile, it's important to remember that everyone is human. As I said, respect is important in our society, and I think that would be good for you, don't you think?"

Natsumi looked away, but nodded. "Understood, ma'am..."

But her friend immediately noticed her nervousness and went to her to encourage her. "Hey, don't worry! I told you I'll help you to get along better with the others! That's what buts are for!"

Which only made her blush more, quickly turning her head. "Y-yeah, yeah, you said it..."

"Well, I see things have settled down. That's good."

The three of them turned to a voice that Makoto and especially Natsumi recognized without a hitch. "G-grandfather?! Fuyuhiko?! Peko?!"

And indeed, Natsumi's grandfather was coming to meet them... and apparently, he wasn't alone. Behind him were two other children, both in their black and white school uniforms, very slightly older than Natsumi herself.

The first was a boy with golden eyes, very short dusty blond hair, freckles on the bridge of his nose, a birthmark near his mouth on his left side, and pink spots on each of his cheeks.

The second was a girl with silver hair tied in two small braids held by two white ribbons and tied with two other red ribbons on each side of her head. Her eyes were bright red, and she also wore rather unobtrusive rectangular glasses.

The two children spent their time passing their gaze from Natsumi to Makoto, and each time, the boy couldn't help thinking that they were looking at him in a... suspicious way. "_It's probably because they're her siblings... they probably want to see if I'm really a friend._"

"Ah! Good evening, Kuzuryu-san." The teacher bowed to him. "I'm glad you could come."

"Yes, I won't hide from you that I'm curious." The old man replied calmly. "You sounded pretty annoyed when you called me, but apparently things got better before I got here. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear from you what happened."

"Of course you would. That's why I've been waiting for you. Let's go into the classroom to discuss it."

"Fine." He turned to the newcomers. "Fuyuhiko, Peko, wait for me here. You only have to spend time with Natsumi and young Naegi here."

"O-okay..."

And with that, the two adults entered the classroom, leaving the four children between them, with the two newcomers continuing to stare at Makoto with an observant gaze.

After a while, it was the blond boy who opened the discussion... or rather, in this case, the questionnaire. "So... it's you, uh? The idiot Natsumi's been talking about since the other day?"

The poor boy didn't understand at all what the other one was trying to tell him. "Uh?"

Natsumi, on the other hand, was already flushed... and his reaction was as sharp as it was explosive. "WHA - MORON! Don't say that in front of him! It'll give him ideas!"

"Hey, stop with your crap! We've all heard you talk about him at least once!"

"So what?! It doesn't mean anything! Do you want us to talk about you, maybe?! Huh?!"

"Oh no, you're not gonna go there!"

"There it is!"

And that's when a quarrel between the Kuzuryu kids began, which resulted in a scene Makoto found... comical. "_Looks like his brother doesn't really know how to communicate with other kids either... maybe it's because they're yakuza?_"

"Excuse me, but... I'd like to ask you a question."

When he heard the other girl's voice, Makoto turned to her. "Yes? Can I help you?"

She seemed more relaxed, but in a more... formal way. "Mr. Kuzuryu called you Naegi. Are you Naegi Makoto? The one who helped... Natsumi?"

He nodded his head. "Yes, it's me! And you must be her adopted sister, Peko! Nice to meet you!"

This sentence shocked the girl, who didn't seem to expect that answer. "Foster sister?!"

And Natsumi's brother seemed to share that surprise. "Wait, seriously?" He turned to his sister. "You told her that?"

"Well, if she's going to join the family, it might as well be official. She's gonna follow us everywhere now. And with him asking me questions all the time..."

It was Makoto's turn to seem surprised by that answer. "_There's that frustrated tone again... it seems she's not happy with the situation with Peko... but why? She doesn't seem like a bad person, though..._"

And when he turned to her, he saw that despite his stoic face, there was a touch of sadness in his eyes. "_She doesn't look happy about it... well, I'll help her! Maybe I can ask Natsumi about the problem later!_"

So he showed up again, bowing down to her, and posing in a friendly tone. "Once again, it's a pleasure to meet you, Peko-chan! I hope we can get along well!"

He couldn't see it, but Peko seemed a little surprised and hesitant, before letting out a feeling of hesitant acceptance. "M-me too... I hope..."

Natsumi began to look at them in a strange way, before noticing one thing. "What's that? Don't you have your shinai today?"

It was enough for Makoto to stand up with surprise. "A... a shinai?!"

"Hey, why are you throwing it around like that?!" Fuyuhiko reproached him. "Now you're going to make him ask questions!"

"Bah! It's not like it matters!" Natsumi closed her eyes in a haughty manner. "What difference does it make if she practices Kendo?"

Peko seemed to want to say something, but she was stopped when she saw Makoto standing in front of her... with stars in his eyes.

"You're practicing for the shinai?! That's so cool!" He exclaimed cheerfully. "You want to become a samurai?! To protect others?!"

The poor girl didn't know how to hide her embarrassment, and didn't even notice that her own cheeks were turning pink. "Th-that's right. I have to train a lot to protect the clan... but Mr. Kuzuryu forbade me to bring my shinai today, and he didn't explain why..."

"_He probably wants to help her get along better with others too..._" Makoto thought with a little smile on his face before approaching her. "Well, that's too bad! I wish I'd seen one up close!"

Hearing that, Natsumi looked up. "Yeah. But she still had to agree to let you see it."

"Oh, of course! I wasn't going to force her to do anything!" He was pretty good before he asked her. "Could I see it when you bring it next time, please? I promise I won't break anything!"

The poor thing really didn't know what to answer. "W-Well... that is..."

But it was Fuyuhiko who answered in his place, who, looking frustrated, approached Makoto to win his attention. "Hey, it's not a toy, okay?! That thing can be dangerous if you're messing around with it!"

But it took more than that to intimidate Makoto. "Oh, I know! That's why I just want to see what it looks like! Do you mind, Fuyu-chan?"

Peko was shocked by the nickname, but once again, the person in question beat her to it... in a tone as surprised as it was indignant. "...what did you just call me?"

"PFAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Natsumi, on the other hand, was desperate. "You did it! You really called him that! Oh, this makes my day! Thanks, Makoto!"

And the reaction wasn't long in coming. "Why, you - you're the one who told him that stupid name?! Why'd you do that?!"

"That'll teach you to try and throw your crap in front of others! Oh, the good taste of humiliation! You should've seen your face!"

"You'll pay for that, you traitor!"

Makoto, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on, and spent his time turning his head every time one of the young yakuzas spoke up. "_...wow. Is that how they show their love towards each other? Seems really odd…_"

"Uh... don't call him that anymore, please." He turned to Peko, who seemed nervous. "The young ma - I mean, Fuyuhiko doesn't like that nickname."

"Oh, is that so?" The poor guy didn't quite understand why. "Yet, it's pretty. It's shorter than Fuyuhiko." He smiled again. "Yours too, by the way! It's simple, but easy to remember!"

Which only embarrassed poor Peko even more, without the boy realizing it. "W-w-w-well... Uum..."

Natsumi, on the other hand, had heard, and a sly smile appeared on her face. "Ah! Komaru was telling the truth! You love all the names we give, you."

And that's when Makoto became embarrassed. "I-I told you I thought they were all cool!"

"Either that, or cute. It doesn't help your cause..."

"Onii-chan!"

And speaking of Komaru, his voice resounds in the corridor. The children saw her running towards them, with a big smile. "Mom and Dad are coming! They can't wait to hear how your day went, and so can I!"

"Yes, yes, I know!" Makoto said, laughing. "I'm generally happy with my first day."

Fuyuhiko looked at her suspiciously, while Peko approached Natsumi. "Who is this, Natsumi? Could it be Komaru, by any chance?"

"Yeah, it's her. Don't worry about so little, they wouldn't hurt a fly, especially her." Natsumi rolled them over before greeting her friend with a little smile. "Hey, Komaru. Long time no see."

Komaru recognized her immediately, and came in front of her happy. "Natsumi-chan! I'm so happy to see you again! Makoto was so worried about you! You should've seen the look on his face all this time!"

A comment that gave Makoto another smirk when he heard that. "Oh, you don't say..."

This did not fail to bother him, making him turn his head away, his cheeks red. "K-Komaru, you didn't have to tell her that..."

Fuyuhiko couldn't help but giggle very slightly. "Welcome to the club."

"Komaru! Don't run like that in the halls, please!"

And after Komaru, it was his parents who showed up at the kids, seeing the new friends around them.

"Excuse me, Kaa-san!" Komaru apologized, scratching his cheek. "But I was so impatient... I wanted to hear what Makoto had to say!"

"We know, my little angel, we know." Kotoya started rubbing his hair to play. "But next time, wait for us, OK? You're not the only one who wants to hear what he has to say."

"All right!"

Makoto couldn't help smiling when he saw that scene. Seeing his family happy like that... it was something that warmed his heart. And the children of the Kuzuryu clan weren't insensitive either: Natsumi smiled at her friend, while Fuyuhiko and Peko watched the scene with a more serene eye.

"Ah, the Naegi family. Good evening to you."

Everyone turned to Natsumi and Fuyuhiko's grandfather, who had just left the room with Haruka.

"Oh! G-good evening, Kuzuryu-san!" Mariko bowed with her husband immediately. "Y-You're taking us by surprise again..."

"Yamazaki-san contacted me because it seems there was a problem at school today, concerning Natsumi." He sighed exasperated. "I admit I was surprised it happened on the first day, but given the circumstances, I guess it was inevitable."

"Oh, I see." Kotoya seemed slightly nervous as he straightened up. "Y-You'll have to forgive my question, but... judging from what I see, our son seems to be involved in this."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Naegi-san, he was, indirectly." It was the schoolteacher who answered. "But it all turned out all right. We had a discussion with the students involved, and I can assure you it won't happen again."

A sigh escaped the parents' lips. "Well, that's good..."

"I hope so too, Yamazaki-san." The grandfather seemed stricter in tone. "I wouldn't want my granddaughter or any member of my family to grow up in an environment conducive to this type of treatment."

Haruka bowed respectfully. "I promise to do whatever's necessary to prevent a recurrence of this kind of incident."

"We'll see. It would be a shame to waste the potential of some students." He turned his head slightly towards Makoto before turning around and starting to walk. "Natsumi, Fuyuhiko, Peko. We're going home."

The kids were a little surprised by what they'd just seen, before joining him. Natsumi was the last one to run, not without saying goodbye to her friend. "H-hey. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you."

So she rejoined her family, leaving Makoto's family to watch as she watched them leave for their own destination...

But where the rest of the Naegi family seemed nervous... Makoto was smiling. Komaru was the first to notice him, and asked curiously, "Onii-chan? You look happy. I thought something bad happened."

"Oh, yeah, but it's no big deal." Was his simple answer, not losing that smile on his face. "It all worked out in the end."

Mariko ended up smiling at him too. "That's good. You'll explain everything when we get home, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Good, then let's go home." Kotoya spoke again before facing Haruka. "Thank you for your concern for our son, ma'am."

"Please, I'm only doing my job." She smiled at him before turning to Makoto. "So we'll meet again tomorrow in class, Naegi-kun. Get some rest and remember what you've learned today, okay?"

"Understood, ma'am!" Makoto bowed before leaving with his family. "Goodbye, ma'am!"

So the Naegis left, the boy still with a smile on his face... ...and with good reason.

After all, he was the only one who saw a corner of Grandpa's lips rise slightly... And that was when he looked up at him.

And with that look... the message he had sent him had been understood.

* * *

_**ALL DONE! Second part over! WOOHOO! And I met my deadline, too!**_

_**Well, I owe you some explanations, it seems to me. It's quite normal, I owe you at least that.**_

_**So, the reason is very simple... it seemed more logical to me to finish in two parts, simply because it felt more natural. If I had continued to do the chapter as it was, you would have ended up with a big pad to read like in the good old days when I used to do 70-page fanfictions... those were the good old days. (And no, I'm not kidding, I was really doing it.)**_

**_So yeah, I decided to space out the chapter a bit, that's why you have one in two parts. The first one with the reunion with Natsumi, and the second one with the introduction of the rest of the official Kuzuryu clan member. That way, you have two chapters to read in peace._**

_**And I'm publishing one more chapter, which is better for me. Please don't throw stones at me.**_

_**What do you think of this approach? Please feel free to tell me.**_

…_**I'll have my answer with our honorary guest. Wesst1, you time to shine!**_

* * *

**What's going on, ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls; Ultimates of all ages! wesst1 back again, once again. And I am back, tech issue has been resolved, but I'll explain that in my next chapter.**

**Pupla, splitting chapters is fine. Long chapters are fine, but overloading the readers with information is risky business.**

**And to you, oh readers, ours, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I certainly did.**

* * *

_**Thanks, buddy.**_

_**Anyway! Now that I've kept you waiting long enough... I'll see you next month!**_

_**Oh, yes, it's a thing! After all, I did one chapter a month in January and February! So we'll say one chapter a month will be fine, right? Is that alright? Alright, then.**_

_**I've got some new ideas in my head, but I need time to think clearly and put them on paper so they're good. I hope you'll understand.**_

_**And I hope these two chapters will get you more, and we'll see you later in March for a new chapter! My colleagues will be happy to replace me during that time!**_

_**Until then, be well, and be happy, that's the most important thing. Ciao!**_

_**Pupla out.**_


	5. An Extraordinary Discovery

_**Hey, everybody! How's everybody doing?**_

_**Yeah, I'm just picking up my old introduction.**_

_**Anyway... it's finally March, and you know the song that follows. Actually, I'm writing this part mostly to remind myself of my new rhythm, a chapter by month. Yes, I know, it's weird, but I want to respect my commitments.**_

_**At this stage, I think you just want to know what this chapter is about, given the title. Well, without further ado, let's go! Have a good read!**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 2: AN EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY...**_

* * *

_Saitama, Kawaguchi Shrine Park_

_20/10/2000, 5:10 PM_

* * *

Autumn.

It is one of the four seasons of the planet. It is marked by the fall of the leaves of their trees, as well as the color of those same leaves, which turn orange and then red.

However, this event does not occur everywhere at the same time. For example, in Japan, leaf reddening begins in September, as in many other countries, but the peculiarity here is that it only begins on the island of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of the country. For other parts of Japan, it was necessary to wait until mid-October.

"Wow... that's a really pretty color!"

"Yes, it's even better than last year! The red is brighter! It's a beautiful sight!"

Hence the wonder of two special children, who watched the falling leaves, and picked them up to observe them.

And this time, they were not alone in their passion for discovery... well, even if they didn't share that feeling.

"Uh, yeah, I guess... but it's not like it's the first time we've seen leaves in the fall. Trees, they're all over the place."

But that's not what was going to discourage the kids. "I know this sounds strange to you, Natsumi, but Komaru wanted to take a closer look. She got sick last year, and when I told her, she sulked for the rest of the year..."

"Hey! Don't tell her that!" The brunette girl tapped the boy on the shoulder making the joke. "You'll give her a bad image of me!"

The blond girl laughed as she put her left hand on her head. "Too late, you're both my dumbass friends. Too dumb to stand up for yourselves, but too much fun to get your heads out of the way. Especially you, Komaru!"

"Meanie! I told you to stop doing that! I'm not your dog!"

"Nah, not a chance. You're my lackey, and one day, when I'm leading the clan, you'll be by my side. I've got to teach you how to look good in front of people."

"STOP IT!"

This scene might shock many people, because Natsumi looks like a school bully... but the fact that they ended up laughing about it showed that this theory was false. The two Naegi children knew that it was simply her way of showing that she cared about them. It was a small group dynamic.

Makoto Naegi, the sweet, curious boy who always wanted to learn new things in order to help those he cared about, even in a very simple way.

His little sister, Komaru Naegi, a little shy with the others, but who tries to support those she loves.

And finally, their best friend since their arrival at the new school, Natsumi Kuzuryu, the hothead of the group, who wouldn't hesitate to get down to business if anyone ever attacked her " lackeys ".

The three of them almost never separated, except when it was really necessary, like going to school for example. As Komaru was younger, she couldn't join them, which is why every night after school, they spent an hour together, in the place where they met for the first time, in the park where Natsumi had sprained her ankle when she was at her lowest point.

Today, they were on their way there when they stopped to see the leaves. Makoto turned towards Natsumi as they hit the road again. "Hey, will Fuyu-chan and Peko-chan be there too?"

Amused by Makoto's nickname she suggested, the blonde chuckled a little before replying with a confident smile. "Yeah, they told me they should be here soon. I'd say we're about five minutes ahead of them, their school is a little further from the park."

"Oh, well, that's good, then!" Makoto smiled then. "We don't really see them compared to you! I wish I could spend time with them too!"

There, the young yakuza's smile faded a little bit. "Yeah, I guess so..."

The young boy noticed it immediately. _"She still makes that face... strangely, it's every time I mention Fuyu-chan and Peko-chan. But we've been hanging out for a while..."_ And then his eyes widened in a worried way. _"Don't tell me she thinks that..."_

It was Komaru who interrupted her brother's thoughts, the hesitation in her voice as she faced her friend. "Uh, Natsumi... I know I said I'd be braver, b-b-but... I admit your brother and Peko-chan... I-I'm a little scared... sorry..."

This remark made Natsumi laugh and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, my brother couldn't hurt you. He wants to act like, but he's too big-hearted for that. As for Peko..." she stopped a little before resuming, "She can't act until she's told what to do. And believe me, she's as lost as you are in that area. I know they already adore you both, even though you're dumb."

Despite the insult, Komaru smiles at the answer. "O-oh, really? I am so relieved..."

Makoto also smiles as he follows the scene with his eyes. _"...no, Natsumi wouldn't think we'd replace her that easily. Komaru likes her too much...and so do I."_

Yes, the Naegi children loved Natsumi. And it wasn't because she was the daughter of a prominent yakuza clan, it was because they learned to love her personality.

Natsumi was always ready to get in touch with others... in the sense that she was ready to say what she thought when someone bothered her friends, even if it was only rarely the case, which earned her some remarks from her teacher about her somewhat excessive behavior.

Fortunately, the fact that the Naegi were spending their time with her helped her to mellow over time. Now she was willing to be patient with others, and she had already managed to make a few new friends at school.

But nothing could replace her two "lackeys", a term she found to be affectionate in her opinion.

The trio continued to move forward, with the entrance to the park visible, separated only by a road... until Makoto stopped in front of them, looking worried.

"Uh?" The girls looked at him strangely, Natsumi turning to him intrigued. "Onii-chan?

"Can you hear that? In the park... I thought I heard someone shouting."

"Huh? In the park?" Natsumi raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no, why are you-"

And that's when several people entered the scene before their eyes. A group of three boys, the first with spiky blond hair and red eyes, the second with slightly longer black hair and blue eyes, and a third bigger one, with very short brown hair and black eyes, threw a book in the air, catching it one by one... at the expense of several people.

The first one, the one running towards the boys, probably to get her book back, was a rather small girl, with violet eyes, very pale skin, and light grey hair. She wore a mask in front of her mouth, as well as a dark jacket, a white shirt, a white miniskirt held by a purple belt, black tights, purple gloves and shoes.

The other two were obviously trying to help her. One was a girl the same height as the other, with lilac eyes, short strawberry blond hair, and cheek marks similar to Natsumi. She wore a pink jacket with a white hood, a yellow t-shirt, a round pink skirt, white stockings, pink shoes, and a strawberry paper shoe on the corner of her head.

The second was a taller boy, with blond hair, brown eyes, and fairly fair skin. He was wearing a large red jacket, wide black trousers and dark brown shoes.

The first one had an expression of distress on his face, while the other two were angry, especially the boy, who looked totally serious. The other three, on the other hand...

"Give me back my book, please! I-I need it..."

"Hey! Look at this, boys! It's too small to catch up!"

"Yeah, and besides, she's already super tired!"

"Ba ha ha! Look at her run like an idiot!"

"Stop it, now! It's Seiko-chan's! Yoi-chan!"

When the book landed in the hands of one of the bullies, the boy in the red hood intercepted it. "You heard Ruruka, so leave her alone."

Makoto and his friends watched the scene with concern, and as the traffic decreased, they could clearly hear what they were saying. And that scene was starting to piss the boy off. _"She looks like she's sick... is that why they're picking on her? But that's... that's wrong! It's worse than the incident with Natsumi!"_

Komaru shared his concern. "T-they look bad... why are they doing this?"

"Because they think they're smart to pick on someone weaker than themselves, that's why." Natsumi replied, in a tone of complete disgust. "Bastards..."

But if she was angry now, what was going to happen was going to make her explode.

"Ah, you want that stupid book?! Well, go get it!"

The boy holding the book, instead of giving it back to its owner... threw it behind him. Right in the middle of the road.

Which terrified the girl in the mask and her friends. "N-no!"

"Y-you didn't dare?!"

"You bunch of..."

A reaction that was shared by Makoto and his gang. "H-hey!"

"No, they didn't..."

"Oh, the sons of - are they fucking unconscious?!"

And what's worse, the poor girl, in a panic, didn't hesitate for a second to throw herself out on the road to get her property back, in front of the horrified eyes of everyone except the bullies. "Seiko-chan?! Come back here!"

"S-she threw herself into the road!"

"Wait, is she nuts?! She'll get herself killed!"

"Seiko! Come back here! It's dangerous!"

"I-I must get it back!" Seiko yelled at her friend as she stooped down in front of it. "It's got everything in it! I can't lose it!"

In the panic, almost everyone had their eyes on her... everyone except Makoto. The reason?

He was the only one who heard a noise in the distance. It was getting dangerously close to Seiko. Without slowing down.

And it wasn't until he turned his head to the left to see what it was... ...that he left out a scream of fear. And when the others heard it, they turned to where he was looking, they had the same reaction.

A crazy truck. Driving towards the girl. And it wouldn't stop. It was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

"S-Seiko-chan! You have to get back! He won't stop!"

"Seiko! Run away!"

But the poor girl couldn't move after seeing the truck. Fear prevented her from moving, her eyes completely fixed on the truck's headlights.

But a second event changed all that. "Look out!"

"O-ONII-CHAN?!"

"Wha - DON'T DO THAT, YOU MORON!"

In the heat of the moment, Makoto's legs began to move by themselves, forcing him to take the road to Seiko as well, while the distance between the truck and the two children shrank dramatically.

In everyone's mind, especially Makoto's, everything went in slow motion. The light from the truck's headlights had already reached Seiko, and within a second, the two would share a fateful destiny together.

The little boy's frustration had grown up all over his body, especially his legs. _"I-I'm not going to make it! I've got to go faster!"_

"SEIKO!"

"SEIKO-CHAN!"

The feeling was still growing. _"Faster! Come on, faster!"_

"MAKOTO!"

And again. _"Faster, I said!"_

"ONII-CHAN!"

_"FASTER!"_

And when he felt his foot touch the ground... it was the explosion inside his whole body.

**KZZAAP!**

If the moment before, the world was going in slow motion, the moment after, everything happened very fast. Too fast, even.

One minute, the truck was about to hit the two children, in front of everyone's horrified eyes. Even some of the adults had their eyes wide open, helpless before the scene.

The next second, they both saw the two children flying towards the park.

Or rather, one child jumping towards the other and dragging her so far with him that they landed at the spot a little further away from where Seiko's friends were. They both landed hard, rolling around on the ground a bit before coming to a full stop, Makoto right behind Seiko, both grunting in pain.

It wasn't until after a brief moment that everyone realized what had happened... and panic set in.

"Oh, my God!"

"Did you see what happened?!"

"Uh, I don't think anybody could have missed it!"

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

"Look! The boy... he's got some serious injuries to his leg!"

And indeed, while Seiko had several wounds all over the place with her clothes slightly torn, she was fine physically. But Makoto, on the other hand, couldn't help but squeak with pain. In addition to Seiko's similar injury, it felt like her body was burning at every limb and nook and cranny. His head was giving him a severe headache, and his back was feeling like a mess. But the worst was undoubtedly his right leg, which he had jumped with. It was now all red, even slightly black at the calf and ankle, and even a little blood was spurting out of it.

The poor man was not really aware of what had just happened, still whimpering because of his injuries. _"I-I did... I could grab it... b-but it hurts all over... especially my leg... what happened?"_

"Seiko-chan!" The girl's two friends were quickly by their side, before the other girl named Ruruka gave them a worried look. "You're okay - AAAAH!"

Seeing Makoto's wounds, she was terrified and screamed in terror, and almost fell to the ground if the boy named "Yoi-chan" hadn't caught up with her. However, he, too, had seen the extent of the damage, and he wasn't astonished by the image. "Wow... i-it's..."

"U-uh?" Poor Seiko seemed lost in her stupor, before her friend's scream brought her back to the real world. "Wh-what happened?"

That's when she realized she was on the ground, and two strong arms comforted her. That's when she realized what had happened. And that realization made her look back at the boy who had just saved her life, her eyes full of fear and guilt. "Y-you... y-you're hurt... because-"

But to her surprise... she saw the boy smiling at her. "I-it was worth it..."

"W-what?!"

The other two shared that feeling. This boy had just risked his life to save their friend's life, his body was in bad shape... but he could still smile.

And it was a smile that was meant to be reassuring.

"Y-you're safe and sound... a-and we all got through it." He managed to say softly and faintly, but surely. "Th-that's all that matters..."

Silence was his only answer. For a moment that seemed like an eternity, the trio watched the boy smile at them, totally amazed by their answer.

At that moment, a few adults finally approached to bring them out of their stupor. "Make way, children! We'll get you ready for the ambulance to come."

He then turned to the boy and covered him with his coat.

The second adult ducked towards Seiko and separated her from him. "Tell me where it hurts."

"U-anywhere..." Seiko hesitated. "B-but... he must be in more pain than I am..."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of both of you."

"ONII-CHAN!"

Only Komaru's cry brought them out of their stupor, turning around to see two girls rushing towards them, the brunette with the small wick first, with tears in her eyes. As soon as she arrived in front of them, she collapsed on her knees, completely distressed. "Onii-chan! Y-you're hurt! Stay with me, please!"

Natsumi was right behind, but even though she was crying, it was mostly anger that was on her face. "You sick fuck! What the hell did you do that for, huh?! You wanna die like a stupid hero, Makoto?!"

"I-I... I didn't know why..."

"Huh?!"

"A-at first... I was also wondering why my legs started moving on their own..." He managed to explain his reasons, while looking at his friend and his sister straight in the eye. "I-I know it was risky, but... I-I just couldn't... just couldn't... see someone die in front of me..."

Once again, the others were stunned by the answer, but that didn't stop Natsumi from answering fervently, she cried without holding back this time. "Yeah, and look where it got you, damn it! You almost died!"

"I-I'm sorry..." The boy began to get dizzy. "I-I didn't mean to... make you cry..."

"O-Onii-chan?!" Komaru was the first to notice, and it only made her more panicky. "Onii-chan! You can't fall asleep!"

"He-he is fainting!" Seiko chose her moment to speak. "We have to talk to him, he needs to mobilize his subconscious!"

"Don't worry, kid, no one is leaving today." The first man turned before showing Makoto his hand. "Hey, kid, how many fingers am I holding up?"

The boy looked a little upset, but he still managed to answer. "Uh...four? I guess?"

"That's good," he said. Hang in there, you're gonna make it, kid."

Another adult stepped forward. "The ambulance is on its way. It should be here in a few minutes." She turned and knelt down in front of Komaru. "He's going to be okay, sweetheart. He's going to be all right."

The sobbing did not stop for Komaru, who threw himself into the woman's arms and accepted it without hesitation. Seiko's group was in the same state, intertwining to comfort each other, and even Natsumi was in tears... but these were tears of relief this time.

Needless to say, there were many better ways to start the weekend.

* * *

…

"Zzzzz..."

…

…

…

"...hrrrm?"

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

Makoto's eyes slowly opened, but it was only after a few seconds that his vision began to light up. It wasn't until after that time that he saw a white ceiling. He could also see that the light in the room wasn't coming from the sun.

He blinked a few times before "Where... where am I?" He blinked a few times before he noticed that his back was against something comfortable. And as he looked around the room, he realized that the mood of the room seemed sober, with its white and light blue.

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

And then he noticed that his leg was plastered and lifted upwards. Also, he felt that something was implanted in his arm, and he noticed that it was a tube that gave him blood directly into his vein. Also, there was a monitor to indicate his heart rate.

That's where he made the connection. _"Ah... I'm in a hospital... ah yes, that's right, with the accident..."_ At that moment, he opened his eyes in stupor. _"Wait, what about the others? Are they okay?!"_

A sound of the door opening was heard. _"Ah, I see you are awake. That's good."_

Makoto turned in surprise to see what appeared to be a short-haired, light grayish nurse with a purple tint, in his forties, wearing a typical nurse's uniform. He had a little smile on his face.

"O-oh..." Makoto was a little surprised before asking, "Oh, hello, sir. Who are you, sir?"

"Hello to you too, young man." The man spoke in a professional manner. "I'm Dr. Nishizawa. I'm the one who took care of your case after the incident earlier. Do you remember what happened?"

"Ah, I see... Yeah, there was a truck that was about to hit a girl of my age... well, I think so. I heard her friend call her Seiko-chan." He looked at her worriedly. "Is she all right, sir?"

"Yes, you can rest assured of that. Apart from a few minor injuries all over, she's nothing serious." He began to frown. "But I can't say the same for you. You're lucky, your days are not in danger, but I think you can understand that it will take time before you can move on two legs again."

A nervous chuckle escaped her lips. "Y-yes, I saw, sir..."

"Your little sister told me that you threw yourself into the road to save her. Is that true?"

"Y-yes... I panicked and... and I did."

A sigh escaped her lips. "My boy, I can see you're old enough to be aware of your actions. I want you to know that I have a basic rule of being completely honest with the patients I care for." He frowned. "So I prefer to say in all honesty that you are extremely lucky to have made it out alive."

Lowering his head, Makoto looked sad-eyed. "I know, but... I didn't want to see someone die in front of me..."

"The cause was noble, but you must learn not to endanger your life like that." There was a little smile on his face. "Anyway, you all made it through the story, so I guess I can't be too much of a lecturer on that one. However, I can guarantee your family will take care of it for me."

This revelation shocked the boy. "M-my family? Mom and Dad are here?! And Komaru too?!"

"Yes, they insisted on staying here until they could assure themselves that you are well. They waited for the rest of the afternoon to see you."

"All afternoon?! Wait, what time is it?!"

"Um, let me see... it's eight o'clock sharp. On that note, I'll tell them you just woke up. Don't be surprised if they're in shock, it's normal in this kind of situation."

Which he did, leaving the room and leaving Makoto alone in his thoughts. When he looked out the window, he saw that night was actually about to fall. The sky was already dark, and you could already see the moon rising.

_"I'm lucky to have made it out alive, is that what he said?"_ Makoto thought, looking pensively. _"It's true...the truck was really fast...I thought I wasn't going to reach it. I'm glad everyone's safe and sound."_

And then his eyes widened. _"Wait... I remember... I had this weird feeling in my body just before I jumped... especially my leg. I felt like I was building up... energy? It responded when I wanted to go faster... and then I felt like I was projecting myself towards her. Everything was so slow then. As if... as if I wanted to seize the right moment to grab her. And then, that pain... even now, I can still feel it in my leg..."_ He put the palm of his hand on his chin, contemplating his plastered leg. _"But... how did I do that? I'm glad I could save her, but... how could I do that? If I hadn't had that... boost, does that mean that-"_

"ONII-CHAN!"

His little sister's voice took him out of his thoughts, making him look at her with some shock. "H-hey, Komaru-"

She didn't even let him speak, throwing herself on his waist and dragging him with all her might, tears flowing. "You scared me so much! I thought... I-I thought you..."

"Hey, hey, Komaru..." Makoto hugged it as he could, but he was careful not to damage the tubes on his arm. Then he gave him his reassuring smile. "The doctor said I've got nothing to worry about, but... just be careful of my leg, okay?"

She looked at him without saying anything, nodding her head after a while, avoiding him. Her brother realized right away that something was wrong. _"Probably because she's still in shock... I can't really blame her after what happened."_

"I see you haven't wasted your time, Komaru."

Makoto turned to the open door to see that his parents were already in the room, Kotoya holding the door and looking sadly at his children.

Mariko was the next to enter, going straight to her son, a few tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, my little darling, you're all right..." Once she was sitting on a chair just at the level of his head, she embraced him and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, gently running her hand through his hair. "I was so scared when the hospital called us... you can't imagine how much I prayed for you to be okay..."

Makoto let his loved ones hug him because he knew they were having a hard time. Learning that his son had had an accident is a shock that no one should have to overcome, so seeing them so reassured to see him alive was normal.

It didn't mean Makoto liked to see them crying.

The father finally stepped forward to his son, sitting in the chair right next to his wife. His voice was "We've been told everything. We said someone your age was on the road when the truck arrived...and you would've jumped in to save her. Is that true?"

Suddenly Makoto got nervous. His parents knew. His sister saw him do it. He knew he'd saved a life, but... he'd drank the pain and fear into the eyes of his loved ones. And those feelings affected him a lot, giving him a heartache. _"It's like... like it's my fault they're so sad..."_

"Makoto."

He turned to his mother, who tried to smile at him with tears in her eyes. "We're not angry with you, my little darling. It's just... after what just happened... it's completely..."

"Unreal. It's hard to believe this all happened, even after Komaru told us his side of the story." The father finishes for her, seeming calmer than she is. "I never thought that... that everything that happened today couldn't happen here, and couldn't affect us."

Makoto looked around him. Mariko calmed his emotions, slowly but surely, and Kotoya looked at him in a gentle and attentive manner. Komaru, on the other hand, had huddled up against his waist so he couldn't see her expression, but he could hear that she was still crying.

Assuaging his courage, Makoto spoke nervously again. "It's just that... I-I thought I was doing the right thing. I-I didn't want to see her die..."

"But I didn't want to either."

"Didn't I?" Komaru's voice made him look at her, a little surprised. Not just because it was sudden, but also by the tone. She seemed sad, but also... angry. "What do you... what do you mean?"

"I didn't want to see you die either!"

This time she didn't just say it. She screamed.

And when she straightened her head up... Makoto felt even guiltier.

There weren't just tears of sadness on her cheeks... ...there were anger and frustration.

"Do you think I enjoyed watching you jump on the road?! Huh?!" She screamed with all her might. "Do you think I liked seeing my big brother risk his life like that?! Even if it was for someone else's life?! Especially since... especially since you promised!"

There, the shock was plain to see on his face... and the horrified tears. _"I-it's true... I-I didn't even think about it..."_

"You said you'd stay out of danger! Mom and Dad made you promise!" Komaru continued to cry, his anger dissipating little by little, but taking his time to make him understand his feelings. "I understand you want to help others, but... why don't you think about your own life?! It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to us!"

"I-I... I..." Makoto tried to talk, but a knot had formed in his throat. Because of the tears flowing freely or because of the feeling of pain and guilt that was growing inside him, it didn't really matter right now. He was crying, and that was all he cared about. "I-I'm-"

"Shh, shh, children."

Mariko was quick to put her children in her arms and try to calm them down. Her voice was soft, but you could hear she was crying a little too. Kotoya quickly joined them, trying to calm her family down. "When we made you promise to stay out of danger, we meant stay away from the evil people lurking around. After all, they're everywhere, even... even here. But... it's true that I didn't think you'd risk your life like that either."

This time Makoto was able to find her way back, and she was able to make herself heard, despite her sobs and masked voice, by holding her family members tightly against him. "I-I'm sorry... Otoo-san, Okaa-san, Komaru... I-I didn't mean to make you cry..."

"I know, my little baby. I know." Mariko reassured him by stroking his hair. "You wouldn't normally do that. And to be honest... I couldn't be more proud of you than I am right now. For what you did for that girl... I'm just... so relieved that you just broke your leg and nothing more."

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

A moment of silence settled in the room, with only the sound of Makoto's monitor and the family's calming sobs. No one dared to break the silence, perhaps for fear that... it would all be a dream. Or worse, a nightmare.

That is, until the feeling was too strong for Makoto. "I'm... I'm sorry, everyone..."

"Makoto..." The boy turned to his father, who looked at him frankly but tenderly. "You don't have to apologize, but... if you really want to... can you promise us something else?"

The boy didn't hesitate to nod frankly. At this point, he would promise anything to his family. "I owe them at least that."

"We asked you to stay out of danger... but did you regret saving her?"

The question surprised both children, especially Komaru, who looked at his brother with anticipation. After a brief moment of hesitation, he shook his head, looking lost.

This made his sister frown. "Onii-chan..."

"Komaru, let us take care of it." Mariko spoke this time, looking at her son gently. "In that case, I wish it will never happen again... but... if you really need to help your friends, or your family, that you have no choice... please..."

"Come back to us. Can you do this for us?"

For Makoto, the message was quite clear. And this time he didn't hesitate and hugged his family again. "Yes! Yes, I promise! I swear I'll come back every time!"

Silence settled back into the room, as the family enjoyed their time of peace and quiet being them.

A peace and quiet... one that no one knew how long it would last.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER**_

* * *

_**THAT'S RIGHT! A CHAPTER IN TWO PARTS! AGAIN!**_

_**Yeah, it's gonna get to be a habit, I think. But hey, I think that considering the result, and considering that you seemed to like it last time (even if I don't have any reviews on the French version yet), I'll do it again!**_

_**And again, this is only one of the concepts I have for this story! So... get ready for more surprises, for the story as well as for the concepts! (Note, I'm saying this but you already suspected it, given the title...)**_

_**Anyway... what are your thoughts on this chapter? Anything good? Anything bad? That's what reviews are for! I'll see you next month for explanations! Bye!**_

_**Pupla out.**_


	6. Which Masks Others

_**Good morning, everyone. I hope you're all well.**_

_**No screwed-up introductions like I usually do this time. I just don't feel like it this time.**_

_**I've got a lot to tell you this chapter. But I'm not gonna bother you with it now. That's why we're going to get to the point! We'll talk later. Have a good read!**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 2 (PART 2): ...WHICH MASKS OTHERS**_

* * *

_Kawaguchi Hospital_

_21/10/2000, 2:00 PM_

* * *

"Phew... what a long time..."

Yes, time wasn't going by fast enough for poor Makoto. After all, anyone stuck in a hospital bed with a plastered leg wouldn't be happy about their situation. Even the TV couldn't save him from that agonizing feeling of boredom.

_"But then... I guess I can only blame myself for what happens to me..."_ He sighed sadly. Yesterday's conversation was still ingrained in his memory.

And especially the promise he had made.

_"If you really need to help your friends, or your family, that you have no choice... please come back to us."_

Needless to say, that promise left an emotional impact on his heart. He had saved someone, yes, but he had to risk his own life to do it. _"And on top of that, I made my family cry... and Natsumi too... I have to make up for it."_

"Ah, Naegi-san?"

Makoto went out of his mind to see a nurse at the door of his room. Did she seem... nervous? "Uh, yes? What is it, ma'am?"

"Nothing, it's... You just have a visitor... I just wanted to let you know."

"Oh... well, all right, thank you. Who is it?"

"Oh, he'll be right with you!" She exclaimed before turning to the corridor... and bowing. "He-he's here. I'll leave him with you, Kuzuryu-san."

Makoto widened her eyes in amazement. "K-Kuzuryu-san?!"

"Thank you, Miss. Natsumi, Fuyuhiko, Peko, I'm counting on you to behave yourself."

And indeed, as soon as the nurse stepped aside, representatives of the yakuza family entered the room... and the remorse returned with revenge.

Not because Fuyuhiko seemed to be staring at him, nor because Peko seemed to be disturbed by everything that had just happened, nor even because the old man seemed to be watching his reactions. At least he had an idea of what they were thinking.

That wasn't the case with Natsumi. A shadow had cast a shadow over his eyes, and his lack of expression on his lips didn't help either.

The grandfather spoke then. "I heard what happened to you and Natsumi. I must confess that you've worried us all a lot with this story, young man. I think you've already been told that your actions were of a particularly dangerous recklessness."

The tone wasn't aggressive, but it was intended to be authoritative. Makoto lowered his gaze, clearly ashamed of what he was being told. "I-I'm sorry, sir..."

A brief moment of silence then settled in the room... a moment that ended when Natsumi approached the bed with the same expression... but he noticed his hands were clasped.

Makoto got a little scared at that moment. Now he knew she was angry with him. But how could he blame her? She saw him jump out in front of a crazy truck on the road to save someone else. In his mind, her reaction was justified.

He only had a brief moment to prepare when he saw her throw herself at him. She was probably going to yell at him and call him a jerk, or hit him on the cheek, or even hug him really hard - huh?

Makoto wasn't ready for that. Fuyuhiko and Peko weren't ready for that either, judging by their gasps of surprise.

Indeed, Natsumi Kuzuryu, the hothead of the famous yakuza family, the one who was certainly the most fighting member of their little group, was just now hugging Makoto with all her might, tears streaming from his eyes.

And instead of the strong, proud voice she normally used, it was weak and imploring this time. "N-never again. Don't ever scare me like that again, you idiot."

It took only seconds before tears came to her eyes as well, turning the gesture with equal force. "I-I promise, Natsumi. I'm sorry."

The two friends spent the time hugging each other, completely unaware of the rest of the world. The other two children looked surprised, but Fuyuhiko seemed to frown at the sight of this scene. Only Peko noticed the grandfather leaving the room, calmly closing the door behind him.

After a moment, Makoto noticed that Natsumi didn't move from his position. "Natsumi?"

Looking at her more closely, he realized she'd closed her eyes... and he could hear her soft, slow breathing.

"S-she... she fell asleep..." He noticed with a soft voice. But strangely, his embrace was still there.

"Surprised? She couldn't sleep at all last night." Fuyuhiko approached from the other side, frowning. "She wanted to see you right away, but grandfather preferred to wait until things got better."

"It's the first time I've seen her like this..." Peko murmured, while walking towards Natsumi, looking at her in amazement. "Usually, she looks so... proud."

When Makoto heard that, he was saddened, his eyes fixed on his leg. But that was before he felt a hand grab the collar of his patient's uniform and face Natsumi's older brother... who started looking at him intensely.

"Now, you listen to me, because I'm not gonna repeat myself, you asshole." His tone, though calm, in no way masked the fury he wanted to convey. "You may be her best friend, but I guarantee you no one will ever find your body if you make my sister cry again. You got that?!"

The poor guy was a little surprised by the tone, but he figured it was what he deserved since it was his fault she was in that state. "Y-yes... I promise. It won't happen again."

"It better not."

"B-Bo-chan, I think it would be best to calm down..." Peko advised her hesitantly. "W-we don't want to disturb the other patients..."

"It's his fault for getting into a situation like this, Peko."

"Y-yeah, I was - wait, Bo-chan?"

Both of them looked at him shocked and a little scared, and Makoto felt like he might have done something wrong. "I-I'm sorry, it's just... I thought... I thought Peko was... adopted by your family, Fuyu-chan. That's why I'm a little surprised..."

"O-oh no..." Peko put her hand over her mouth, looking the more frightened of the two. "I-it just came out..." She turned to Fuyuhiko. "I-I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have..."

The other boy contemplated the emptiness for a short while, before letting an exasperated sigh come out of his mouth and staring at Makoto with a serious look. "All right, now listen to me. Since you've already asked Natsumi that question, I think you can know the truth. But what was said in that room stays in that room. Don't you dare tell anyone about this, understand?"

"N-nobody?" Makoto seemed much more confused than before. "Not even in Komaru? She's also his friend-"

"No! My sister does what she wants, but you shut up, got it?! You weren't supposed to know the basics, so don't get more people involved in this mess!"

"I-is it really safe?" Peko looked at him worriedly. "I mean... we don't know what's gonna happen..."

"Now I have to. Knowing him, he won't leave us alone until he knows everything." He turned to himself with the same expression. "What do you think? We got a deal?"

Makoto started to think a little bit. _"It sounds important... maybe it's something to do with Natsumi..."_ He turned his eyes to Natsumi who was still sleeping.

_"It's true that I'm interested in his family... I've always wondered what kind of relationship they have with each other. It's an opportunity to get to know them all better, and maybe I could help them better if I know what's going on... well. It's decided!"_ He cast a determined glance at the two yakuza children. "All right. I won't tell anyone, I promise."

The other boy stared at him for a moment before sighing slightly. " 's good." Then he pointed to Peko. "Remember what Natsumi told you about Peko?"

He started staring at her curiously, which made her look at the ground with fear. "Y-yeah... she told me you were their foster sister. Why did she say that? Isn't that true?"

"N-no, not really... actually, I..."

"She's supposed to be our future bodyguard."

Makoto's eyes widened in surprise. "W-what?! Really?!"

"It was my old men's idea in the first place." Fuyuhiko closed her eyes with a frustrated expression. "They keep saying that one of us will be the next clan leader, and they're afraid other yakuza will come after us. So they wanted to train someone to protect us in the future."

"I-I see..." Makoto placed his hand under his chin. "Come to think of it, my parents told me the yakuza scene was dangerous..." He started staring at Peko. "Is that why you have your shinai most of the time?"

"Y-yes, that's right." She looked up, looking nervous. "As you know, I was taken in by Bo-chan's family-"

"Hey, I told you not to call me that! It's degrading!" Fuyuhiko says to him in an exasperated tone, before sighing again. "I swear, it's so freaking unbearable..."

"Your folks?" Makoto looked at him confused. "You mean...your parents?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean. But Grandpa didn't like it too much. He says he understands the thinking and strategy behind it, but there's no point in stressing her out like that."

The boy cast a worrying glance at the girl. "Is that why Kuzuryu-san asked you not to take your shinai that day?"

Peko seemed a little more relaxed after talking. "Yes... he thinks this role isolates me from others and from myself... but I don't know what he's trying to say..."

"In the meantime, Natsumi doesn't like it at all." Fuyuhiko spoke again. "She hates that we're being watched through someone else, that's why she and Peko aren't together often."

"I-I only do what I'm asked..."

"We know, but it doesn't change the fact that Natsumi doesn't like being thought of as a helpless baby!"

In the conversation, Makoto started staring at the ceiling, absorbing the information he'd just been given. _"So that was it... I admit I wasn't expecting it... but I don't think that's the only reason why Natsumi is frustrated with Peko... it must be deeper. But hey, now that I know, I can do something about it. I'll ask her later. Until then..."_

"Look, I think I understand a little bit what's going on... but I don't think Natsumi needs this kind of attention."

Fuyuhiko and Peko turned to him with a bewildered look on their faces, especially the first one. "Huh?! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"I mean, I can understand your need for protection. But Natsumi probably wants to be treated normally despite her yakuza affiliation." He put his hand on Natsumi's shoulder while watching her sleep. "That's what I've found after several months with her. And even when we're just together, she doesn't like to be called by her last name."

An explanation that surprised them a lot. "...you're serious right now?"

"I'm also surprised to hear such a statement coming from her." Peko added, looking puzzled. "We often hear her bragging about being the next heiress of the clan when she's grown up, even though she's the youngest..."

"I think it's mostly because she wants to make something of the clan. Sometimes when she talks about it, she said she wanted us all to be together to... to make this city a better place. But she never really explained how..." He turned to the two yakuza children with a curious look on his face. "Do you have any idea what she means?"

"No, it's the first I've heard of it... I never thought she could think like that..."

"Tell me about it. Every time I try to talk to her about something to do with the clan, she tries to change the subject. I mean, it's when she's not loud and clear that she'll take over in the future. And I'm not even talking about Peko, she avoids talking to her as soon as she can, that's to say..."

"I... I see..." Makoto began to look at his friend with sadness. _"Natsumi...what's wrong? What can I do to help you get along better with your family?"_

"Still, what you're telling us is really weird." Fuyuhiko couldn't help but notice. "I know Natsumi well, she's not the type to be modest on a family level. You h ave any idea what's going on in her head? She's getting bullied at school or some shit?"

"N-no, everything's fine... well, now she's more respectful to others..." A small smile formed on his face as he gently stroked his blond hair. "It's true she can be a bit of a hothead, but she's a good person. I know she is. She's my friend."

"...you're really weird, you know that?"

"Maybe I am. But I just think everyone can be a good person. And I think you can too, Fuyu-chan, Peko-chan."

"...don't tell me you're going to use that stupid nickname."

"What? It's cute, I think."

"That's the point! I'm a yakuza! I don't want to be cute, it destroys my image! Do you really want me to kill you, you asshole?!"

"I mean, he's not entirely wrong..."

"What did you say there, Peko?!"

"N-nothing! Nonsense! I-it doesn't matter!"

"Onii-chan? Oh, Natsumi and his brother and sister are already here..."

All eyes were riveted on the door, to see that it was open, and that someone was standing nervously. Someone Makoto recognized immediately. "Ah, Komaru!"

"Hmmm... huh?" That's when Natsumi slowly reopened her eyes, grunting and growling. "You're making so much noise... what's going on?"

"S-sorry, Natsumi. I didn't know you were here with your family..." The little sister apologizes while walking forward, leaving the door open. "But I told Onii-chan I'll come today too. I heard a noise, so-"

"Yeah, well, that's an understatement. I could hear them all the time, but I was too tired to wake up until you came in." The blonde looked at the other three with a slightly upset look on her face. "I swear, discretion is something you've never heard odd. I bet the whole hospital could hear you."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"Well, I don't know about the rest of the hospital, but we heard you loud and clear."

"R-Ruruka-san! Izayoi-san!"

And indeed, according to Komaru, three other people stood in the room. Or rather, two people. The third just stood in front of the entrance, looking nervous, eyes on the floor. Makoto recognized them immediately. "Hey! You're the ones from the park!"

Natsumi noticed it too. "Hey, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be resting after this?" She looked at the girl in the mask. "Especially you there. Seiko, right? I remember you were hurt too, not as bad as Makoto, but still."

The poor girl refused to look at him, obviously out of fear. "U-uh, well, I-"

"Seiko's injuries were minor, so the doctors told her she could move, just slowly." The boy in the red vest responded neutrally, while looking at Makoto. "And we asked to see him, so his sister guided us here."

To that answer, Makoto looked surprised at his little sister. "I-is that true?"

"Yes...when we got here, I wanted to see you right away. But I ran into them just before we got here, and they wanted to come too. And since they were there when... when it happened..."

"We wanted to see you in person! We didn't have time to show up with everything that's been going on!" The girl in pink came forward with a smile. "I'm Andoh Ruruka! But you can call me Ruruka!"

"Izayoi Sohnosuke." The boy in red introduced himself briefly and simply. "A pleasure."

"Nice to meet you, too!" Makoto smiled then, happy to see that other people seemed friendly to him. "You may already know this, but I'm Naegi Makoto! I hope we can get along!"

"Oh, I know we'll get along alright!" Ruruka smiled back before turning to his friend. "Well, Seiko, don't be afraid! He won't eat you!"

The girl hesitated for a moment, before moving into the room, in front of Makoto's bed. When she looked up, she had a sad look on her face. "My... name is Kimura Seiko... and I... I'm... I'm sorry..."

This introduction didn't satisfy Makoto, so he interrupted it right away. "Hey, I know what you're going to say. Don't do that. It's not your fault."

"B-but of course it is! Look at your leg!" She pointed to the plastered, hanging limb. "You hurt yourself because of me! If I hadn't rushed like that-"

"What's done is done. The important thing is that we all got through it." The boy smiles sincerely at her. "So don't apologize, okay? I'm not responsible for what happened, so don't blame yourself."

That answer made the poor masked girl blush and look away. "Okay... I'll try."

"See, I told you it would be okay!" Ruruka walked towards her friend with a smile on his face. "When I tell you that you need to have more self-confidence!"

"T-to be honest, you scared us too..." Komaru raised her voice slightly, looking nervously at Seiko. "I mean... when you went on the road... it was-"

"It was as crazy as it was dangerous. But then my dumbass buddy did it, too, so I'm not gonna go on about it." She took one look at Makoto before her expression turned to anger. "What pisses me off is why you did that. Goddamn it, I think I just met the worst kind of bastard with those jerks!"

"I know, right?!" There, Ruruka turned to Natsumi with the same expression on his face. "It's because of those idiots that all this happened! I hope they get punished as they deserve!"

"T-they were really mean to throw your book away like that..." Komaru frowned sadly. "Why did they do this?"

"It was to make fun of Seiko." Sohnosuke spoke, who hid an ounce of anger. "You may have already guessed it, but she suffers from a special medical condition."

"Y-yes... in my notebook, there are symptoms of my illness, along with instructions and medicines to take." Seiko spoke again, seeming sad that the memory of yesterday had crossed her mind. "But they wanted to see what was in it, and when I couldn't answer them, they took it from me by force and... y-you know the rest..."

"We'll have to find out who they are, then." Fuyuhiko spoke for the first time since the newcomers arrived. "If they live here, my grandfather will find them and tell their families."

A remark that raised Sohnosuke's eyebrow. "Your grandfather? Is he that important?"

"Yeah, by the way, I wanted to ask, why are you two here?" Ruruka asked. "I can understand why the blonde and Koma-chan - I can call you Koma-chan, you don't mind, right?"

"Uh, no, not at all, do as you wish..."

"Perfect!" She smiles at Komaru before turning to Fuyuhiko and Peko. "I can understand why they're here because they were here when it happened, but who are you, anyway? Family members?"

"Yes, we were making sure Makoto-san was okay after what happened. Natsumi was worried after all that, too, and we didn't want to leave her alone to deal with the moment." Peko spoke first. "I am Pekoyama Peko. Pleased to meet you."

"Well, since we have to..." Fuyuhiko sighed before introducing herself, looking straight in the eyes, with a serious look on her face. "My name is Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko, and the blonde is my sister Natsumi."

Sohnosuke was the first to react, with a surprised expression. "Kuzuryu? Like-"

"Yeah, like the clan. We're the children of the clan."

Seiko also seemed surprised by this revelation. "Really?! I-I've heard that they own all the buildings in the neighborhood and surrounding areas..."

"It's more than just keeping things running smoothly in a good part of the city." Peko explained normally. "I can't tell you everything because I don't know the details, but the Kuzuryu clan does everything to keep order in the parts of the city where they have a base..."

Only Ruruka didn't seem impressed. "Well, it's not like we came for them in the first place! We're here for Mako-chan!"

"M-Mako-chan?"

"Yep! You saved Seiko-chan, so that means we can trust you!" She walked towards him with a pink sticker in her hand. "Here, this is for you!"

"Oh, thank you!" He took the macaroon for a snack. Soon after he put it in his mouth and chewed it, he let out a dull cry with his mouth closed, stars in his eyes. And he shared what he felt after swallowing it. "It's so good! It's like a strawberry with little sugar bombs in it!"

"Hey, I'm glad you like it!" Ruruka showed his pride. "I made it, after all!"

There, Makoto looked at her with surprise. "Woah... Is that true?"

"Yes, it is. Her father's a baker, so she learned to make sweets herself. And they're simply delicious." Sohnosuke said in a neutral tone, but the corner of her right lip rose a bit. "Glad to see you have good taste."

"Hehehe..."

"It looks good, yeah..." Seiko lowered her head, in a rather sad tone. "Too bad I can't taste it, because of my illness..."

"Yeah, that's too bad... but it's okay!" Ruruka looked at Seiko with a reassuring look. "We've been friends for two years, we're not going to drop it just because of a stupid illness!"

"Ruruka-san..."

"Besides, it doesn't change the fact that you're awesome! You saved a cat's life once, so that makes you a hero!" She turned to Makoto with the same smile on her face. "And you too, since you saved Seiko-chan! Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you."

"I-it's true, I'll completely forget... I-I can't thank you enough..."

The boy began to blush with all the attention he had just received. "Oh, you're welcome..."

He was so embarrassed in this story that he didn't notice the suspicious look on Fuyuhiko's face, probably because of the discussion they were having before the new trio arrived.

And he hadn't noticed either that Natsumi had started to cast a... peculiar glance at him.

Even Komaru seemed slightly frustrated by the situation. "Big brother, I know you saved someone, but... you know I don't like the fact that you risked your life for it. Take a look at your leg."

"That's what I was gonna say." Fuyuhiko immediately joined her in the same tone of voice. "Seriously, if you're going to end up with a broken leg every time, at this point you should think about getting a nanny to watch over you..."

"Hey! I know I took a risk, but it was an accident!" Makoto fought back, pouting and crossing his arms, wanting to reassure himself proudly. "I'll have you know, I'm seven years old! I can still behave myself when I have to!"

Then a short silence fell, and Makoto noticed that although everyone was staring at him, it was the trio of friends who were the most surprised. "...what?"

"Is... is it true?" Seiko stammered. "Y-you're only seven years old?!"

"You're two years younger than us?!" Ruruka was more vocal in her surprise. "And you're already capable of jumping that far with someone in your arms! You're even more awesome than I thought!"

"I must admit I'm surprised to hear that." Sohnosuke joined the conversation, this time with the right expression on his face. "I've never seen anyone do this before, so seeing you do what you did... and now this... How did you do it?"

There, Natsumi was quick to join the conversation. "Yeah, how did you do that?! As far as I know, neither of us can do what you did, and you're not even that good on base!"

Everyone looked at him, eagerly awaiting his reply. Makoto started looking at his pelvis, searching for an answer. "Well... to be honest, I don't know... when I was at Kimura-san's level, I felt... great energy going through my body, especially my leg... I think it was when I wanted to go faster that I jumped..."

Komaru seemed lost in his explanation. "So... you did it... because you wanted it so badly?"

"This is very intriguing. We'll have to find out." Peko concludes, looking pensive. "This story of the truck incident is already very suspicious..."

This detail jumped out at the boy, who looked at her curiously. "Suspicious? Accident? What do you mean, accident?"

"Didn't you hear? Oh yes, that's right, you were passed out when it happened, my bad..." Natsumi spoke. "Apparently, the crazy truck that almost hit you... well, it blew up a little farther away."

There, the shock was evident on his face.

"What?"

* * *

And at the reception, the atmosphere was the same.

"Really? The crazy truck... exploded?"

"From what I'm told, yes, Mrs. Naegi." Natsumi's grandfather explained to the group of adults with him... "The vehicle drove straight into a construction site, and hit a building under construction. I don't know the details, but it would've exploded shortly after impact, according to my resources. As for the driver... he was unable to evacuate his vehicle in time."

Mariko left a shocked sigh when she heard this information. "Oh, my God..."

"After what happened, I have to admit I find it hard to feel any empathy for this person." An old woman in a principal's uniform gave her point of view in a strict tone. "Even if he's dead now... we all know how things could have ended."

Kotoya looked at her with an understanding look. "I confess that... I and my wife aren't sure what to think..."

"As for me, I'm just happy that everyone got through it... well, except for the person in charge..." A man with a pastry cook's outfit spoke in turn, with a nervous little smile, scratching his hair. "I don't look friendly right now, do I? Sorry, it's just..."

"No, no, it's nothing..." Mariko was the one who reassured him, even in shock. "I think... we all deserve a little break after all this..."

"You do just that. I, for one, intend to open an investigation into this incident." The grandfather announced. "I intend to find out why this incident has occurred in the first place."

"Very good, sir." The man in the red hood, who was an adult replica of Sohnosuke, answered calmly. "If I learn anything suspicious, I'll inform you immediately."

"If I may, I would like to accompany you in this process." The headmistress suggested. "According to the testimonies, one of my dependent children was assaulted just before the incident by three boys of her age. If I recognize them, I'd like to punish them myself."

"Very well. With that, madam, gentlemen..."

And with that, the three individuals went their separate ways, each with their own goals in mind, leaving the other three adults between them.

The baker, who had brown hair only on the sides of his head, pink eyes and a mustache, spoke again, wanting to reassure himself. "Well, I think the neighborhood might be a little upset with this story... well, I hope your son's okay."

"Yes, thank you very much." Kotoya smiled in gratitude. "We were so shocked when it happened..."

"Yes, I understand. I would have been in this state if something had happened to my little Ruruka, even worse, if I want to be completely honest with you..." He laughed before opening his eyes and reached out his hand. "Oh, with all that, I even forgot to introduce myself! I'm Andoh Takara! You may have already noticed, but I'm a pastry chef in the neighborhood! How do you do? Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, sir." Kotoya shook hands first. "I'm Naegi Kotoya. I work in human rights."

"And I'm Naegi Mariko." The woman introduced herself. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm in the accounting department. Nice to meet you too. And thank you again for worrying about our family..."

"Please, it's perfectly normal after what happened. When you're bound by an incident like this, you have to learn to stick together!"

"It's kind of you to think like that..." A sigh escaped from the father's lips. "Too bad not everyone thinks like you..."

"Yes, as you say... but well, there's not much we can do about it..." Katara decided to change the subject by coughing. "Well, how is the little one doing now? Ruruka couldn't describe me because she was in a panic, so I guess it must have been pretty bad."

"Yeah, but he's better now." The mother began to explain. "It's only his leg that needs time to heal. We were just about to go to the doctor to find out more..."

"Okay, so do you mind if I come with you? My daughter already likes him a lot, even though she's only just met him. To tell you the truth, she wanted to run to see him with her friend after her visit to her friend Seiko's house this morning, but I told her to wait until this afternoon, just to let him recover a little..."

"Thank you for your attention." Kotoya's smiling again. "Our daughter Komaru must have guided them to her room. I'm sure it's all right, our children know how to behave."

"Of course, darling, but maybe we can get someone to go and watch them." Mariko suggested. "I don't like the idea of leaving them alone..."

"Why not? After all, it can only be beneficial. We'll ask at the front desk. If you'll follow us, sir..."

"After you, madam, sir!"

And so, the three adults took turns going to their own destinations, and a connection was formed with these people...

A connection that was born among other very close connections... that would itself attract others in the future.

But for now... it was time for them... to know each other better.

* * *

_**FREE TIME EVENT BEGIN**_

* * *

_**Oh, yeah! Now, let's tackle the free-time events! You guys happy? You're damn right you're happy.**_

_**Aaaah, it was fun doing that chapter. No, it really was. I was able to introduce the characters I wanted as I wanted, and on top of that, I propose a new concept! (for my fic, not in general) If that's not the best!**_

_**For those of you unfamiliar with the franchise-**_

_**What the hell are you doing here, anyway? Anyway, if I can advertise, great. But then again, it's more of a concept than anything else...**_

_**Okay, let's do it again. So I was saying, for the uninitiated, free time is a time that highlights the characters of the saga! We thus discover anecdotes about their habits, but also their motivations and their private lives. If the Danganronpa games (or at least those of the main series) use them, it's mostly because... well, in a universe that doesn't bend to necessity where everyone survives, or worse, that some are forced to die so that the story moves forward, we want to know about our favorite characters before the worst can potentially happen to them.**_

_**Yeah, they're not stupid at Spike Chunsoft. Most of the time, anyway, but that's a debate we can't have here, simply because it's not the place to have it.**_

_**Well, it's the same here. Except there's no reaper waiting for you at the exit! You just learn more about the characters. These parts, although part of the story, will be mostly informative for the readers. I'll let you discover the concept by yourself.**_

_**So, what else did I have to say? ...ah yes, it's coming back to me!**_

_**First of all, I know I'm late to the party, but there's this app called Fanfic Pocket Archive Library that steals your fics to make money out of it. Make sure not to use it and report this. Dunno if it has been taken down yet because I don't hear much of it anymore, but I'm not taking any chances against this bullshit.**_

_**Oh yeah, and Coronavirus.**_

…

…

…

_**Fuck, man.**_

_**It's crazy, just talking about it, it's totally bumming me out.**_

_**I think I speak for all of us when I say that no one was expecting this. I never thought an epidemic like this could just happen and I never thought I'd have to live to see it come into the world.**_

_**In my country, and in other countries, as I speak to you now... let's be honest. It's fucked up. Really fucked up.**_

_**I can see a lot of people see it as a war, but I, personally... I see it more as resistance and nothing more. You can't confront an enemy that you don't see and that can infect anyone in an instant like an enemy soldier.**_

_**In the face of this global crisis, I'm simply going to give you some advice, in order to raise your awareness and hopefully help you.**_

_**Just... please... for everyone's sake… stay home.**_

_**AND DON'T BEHAVE LIKE A SELFISH BASTARD!**_

_**I swear, the recklessness of some of the people I've witnessed over the last few days, it makes me sick. While some people stay home and take as few risks as possible, and while others risk the decoys to work, provide for themselves, or worse, save other lives... you have people walking down the street... and doing as they fucking please! And what's their excuse?! "Hey! I'm not going to stop living because of a virus! I still know my rights!"**_

_**Yeah, it happens. Even today, after the rules of containment were declared.**_

_**And then it's probably going to be those same people who complain to the government about getting infected... well, if they survive until then...**_

_**Not that I'm on their side, far from it, but then again, this is no place to talk about that.**_

_**But then again, I'm not writing this just to blow off steam.**_

_**It's also because I'm scared, my friends. I think that's normal in these times.**_

_**But that's also why I'm writing this.**_

_**Because I wish we could all... get out of this shit together. That's why, now that I have a little more time, I'm going to be able to provide you with something to try and relax you as much as possible. If I can help you stay home, no matter how little it takes... it'll be worth it.**_

_**And I have not one, but two other people to back me up on this.**_

_**Guys, you know what to do.**_

* * *

**Hello ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls; Ultimates of all ages, wesst1 here again once again. I would like to take this opportunity that Pupla has given me to wish all of you well in this time of uncertainty. Thanks to all my free time, I managed to do some work on a side project. Look forward to that in a week or two. I hope you'll all congratulate Pupla on another chapter. Until next time, see you starside.**

* * *

**Hey pals, how is it going? The Overlord Of Ice here, bet you weren't expecting to see me here...if you even know who I am that is.**

**Well Pupla and I are good friends, and sometimes I try to help him giving the guy some ideas or indsight (even if he doesn't credit me).**

**Jokes aside, it's true that we aren't having the best of times. With all the panic and bad management that is happening around the world, but I beg of you. ****Don't give into Despair!**

**I know, I know it doesn't sound the same coming from me. In my opinion this isn't time to point fingers and search for culprits. We have to be united and help each other because that is one of our great strengths as humans...and wash your hands dammit, you are supposed to do it before eating anyway!**

**That's all, go read my fics or whatever...**

* * *

_**Seriously, my man? I don't credit you?**_

…_**well, you heard the man. Go check on his stories. It's really cool.**_

_**And he's been helping me for my fics as much as wesst1. So go say hi to him, he deserves it.**_

_**We'll make it work. I promise you that. Take care of yourself, and I'll see you soon.**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people. **_


	7. Free Time Event I

_**Hi, everybody! I hope you're all doing well!**_

_**Today (or rather, during this chapter), we're going to dive into the wonderful universe of Free Time Events!**_

_**Yes, that's an exaggeration on my part. A hyperbole. Whatever you want. But me, personally, I'm glad we're here.**_

_**I'm just going to warn you again just in case: these Free Time Events, although they contain facts related to the story, exist mainly to highlight the characters. Their personalities, their pasts, their ambitions, everything will be there. And yes, the story will also highlight certain characters, it's a fact. However, don't forget that in Danganronpa... well, there are many characters in themselves, and you will have to share their moments of appearance as fairly as possible. That's why I decided to include this "mode", as you might say.**_

_**So yeah. Basically, we'll discover the characters... in the story... as well as out.**_

…

_**Shit, I didn't think it would sound that lame as an explanation.**_

_**The major difference between these two categories is that in History, when you focus on one or more characters, in general, it's mostly to help the plot unfold, not to pause it. These Instants will mainly allow to expose the characters, to make the readers discover them and to bring an extra friendly moment between the characters (Makoto, most of the time).**_

_**I think I've kept you waiting long enough as it is. An example is better than a boring explanation. **__**So, enjoy reading!**_

* * *

_**FREE TIME EVENT I**_

* * *

_Kawaguchi Hospital_

_23/10/2000, 5:30 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO, KOMARU, KOTOYA AND MARIKO NAEGI**_

* * *

"And this is from Wanabe-san and Nakamura-san! At least, I think those are their names..."

"Woah... did I really get all that? Is this for me?"

"Yes! I was surprised too! But hey, I'm really glad you're appreciated so much in your class, Onii-chan!"

What exactly were Makoto and Komaru talking about? Well, shortly after Komaru arrived at the hospital, she opened her school bag and took out some... letters. And a lot of letters. And according to Komaru, a lot of them were from her class.

The reason for this, although obvious to those concerned, was explained by a journalist, during a television program that was on in the small room.

_**"As a reminder, last Friday, in the vicinity of the Kawaguchi Shrine Park, a mad truck raced down the streets and exploded after colliding with a building being rebuilt in a construction site not far from the park."**_

"Oh, they're still talking about it..." Komaru looked up with a sad look on his face to watch television for a moment before turning to his brother. "Why did you turn on the television? I mean, why this channel?"

"Well, I was curious." Makoto explained with a small smile. "I know there's a cartoon channel, but there's not much I'm interested in at this hour, so I decided to look elsewhere."

_**"The passenger was killed after his vehicle exploded, but he could well have claimed more victims, because according to witnesses present, he could have hit a little girl who was on the road at the time. Fortunately, those same witnesses say that a brave boy pushed him out of the way before contact, putting them both out of danger."**_

"But I've got to admit I didn't think we'd be talking about this incident again..."

"Brave, yes, but also a hothead! You know what I think!"

"I-I know, Komaru... sorry..."

_**"The two children are currently recovering in Kawaguchi hospital, and according to Dr. Nishizawa, they are in good health. The police are still looking for clues as to what might have been-"**_

The sound and picture were interrupted by Komaru, who pressed the button on the remote control to turn everything off. She approached her big brother with a small smile. "I just hope this helps you think better, big brother. You know how scared I was, and the parents too."

"Yes, yes, I know..." Makoto looked her straight in the eye and tried to smile at her. "That's why I promise I'll always come back, Komaru. This time, I'll remember."

To her surprise, Komaru only looked away, her cheeks a little red. "You'd better, idiot..."

_"She may still be in shock... It's best to leave her alone for a while..."_ His gaze then fell on the letters he had received. They had pretty much the same message, but what Makoto remembered was that a lot of people had written.

_We heard what happened, Naegi-kun. I wish you a good recovery. And don't worry about the classes, Kuzuryu-san volunteered to take them for you while you're away. We are all looking forward to your return. - Yamazaki Harkua-sensei_

_Good recovery, Naegi-san! We hope you are well! Wanabe-san_

_It was great what you did for that girl... we all say hi. Nakazaki-san._

_Komaru-chan told me what happened! The whole family wishes you good luck! Chieko-san_

Makoto couldn't help smiling as he read the letters. He didn't expect so much affection. His entire class had written to him, and even other people like some of Komaru's classmates. It warmed his heart.

"Everyone kept saying you're a hero in my class..." Komaru sulked a little. "But fortunately Chieko was there for me. To be honest... I'm not used to getting all this attention."

Makoto stroked his sister's hair to comfort her. "Komaru...you know it wasn't to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I know...I still have some work to do with people, it seems..."

At that moment, the door of the room opened to let their parents in, with Kotoya starting the conversation with a smile. "Ah, Komaru. I see you've already given him the letters. That's good."

"Indeed, it's a lot of letters, Komaru." Mariko chuckled slightly. "I didn't think there would be so many either."

"I know, I was surprised too! I told you at school it was something!" Komaru explained a little shyly. "Everybody in my class kept talking about big brother. Even my teacher seemed to be impressed... t-to be honest, it was a bit embarrassing..."

"Komaru..."

"I understand, my little treasure. After what happened, we're not going to blame you for feeling this way." Kotoya stroked her hair with a smile. "But rest assured, this situation won't last long. Everything will return to normal. You just have to wait a little."

"Alright, alright..."

Makoto decided to take the floor, looking curious. "Mom, Dad... Did Nishizawa-san tell you when I'll be released from the hospital? It's probably going to take a while... I mean, I can't do much with my leg in a cast. And I know there's television, but..."

"I know, sweetheart. You're bored if you don't learn anything." Kotoya smiled softly at him. "We asked him that before we came. And according to him... you should be able to go out by the end of the week."

That answer shocked the children. "R... really?"

"Already? I mean, I'm so glad, but... it seemed like a pretty serious injury..."

"I know, it shocked us, too." Mariko explained. "Even Nishizawa-san seemed shocked. And yet, it was the first time I'd ever seen him like that."

"R-really?" Makoto got curious. "Because you two know each other?"

"Yes, he's a colleague from work. He's the one who taught me what I know about my work. You could say he's a kind of teacher, so to speak."

"Oh, is he? Komaru started to be curious too. "Because you're a doctor too, mom? I didn't know..."

"Let's just say I only intervene when the situation really requires it." The woman began to explain. "Actually, I'm a medical secretary. My role is normally purely administrative, that is, I work in an office to help other doctors. Only..."

Makoto sensed his mother's hesitation. "Only what? Did something happen?"

She sighed before resuming. "Yes...the hospital was understaffed. That's where I met him. His real name is Nishizawa Kameda. He was the one who trained me and my group when I was needed. But I must admit that it wasn't always easy."

"Because it's hard to be a doctor?"

"And also because Nishizawa-san was a demanding and strict teacher. But it was necessary, and he always behaved civilly outside of work, even if he was a serious person."

Komaru looked at her with stars in her eyes. "Woah... so you can treat people too? That's awesome!"

"To be honest, I'm more comfortable with children. "That's why my position specializes more in that age group. I mean, it's when I'm needed. Like I said, most of the time, I'm just a secretary..."

"It's still pretty cool, mom." Makoto spoke with a smile. "I think it's handy that you can do so many things. It can be really useful."

"I think so, too, mom!"

"Oh, thank you, my little treasures." The woman caressed their hair tenderly. "It makes me happy to hear you say that."

"Hihi, it's normal..."

While Komaru received a kiss from his mother, Makoto turned to their father. "What about you, dad? What do you do?"

"Oh, I'm just a simple tax official." Kotoya explained with a small smile. "Simply put, a tax official is someone who makes sure the economy runs smoothly in the region where he lives, just like me."

"Oh, is that so?" Komaru looked at him with a curious look. "Because there are people who do not pay?"

"Or less than they should, yes. But my role doesn't stop with the people in the neighborhood. In my case, I also have to make sure that the various associations in the area respect certain conditions."

"Because Natsumi's family is in the neighborhood and they're involved?"

Kotoya seemed slightly surprised by his son's theory, but nodded anyway. "You could put it that way. With a group of people, I make sure that all transactions are respected, on time, and of course, legally. It's a very mathematical job."

Komaru looked a little worried. "Sounds... complicated, dad."

"It is a little. And I admit that there is a little bit of pressure at times, but what job isn't difficult?"

"Well, that's true. It is. I don't know what's going on outside the public domain, but it's a fact of life in this business." Mariko supports him. "And I think anyone else in the business would say the same thing."

"Dad... Mom..." Makoto started looking at them sadly. "You have to take care of yourself. If it's too hard for you... we don't want you to get tired."

"You're right, we don't. We don't want you to hurt yourselves for us!" Komaru joined him in the same tone immediately. "We want you to be happy with us! You deserve that too!"

The family gathered around Makoto's bed, hugging each other.

"We're happy thanks to you, my little darlings. Don't ever forget that."

* * *

_24/10/2000, 5:30 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO NAEGI**_

_**NATSUMI AND FUYUHIKO KUZURYU**_

_**PEKO PEKOYAMA**_

* * *

"Thanks again for everything, Natsumi!" The little boy smiles at his friend. "It was really nice of you to volunteer!"

The blonde's cheeks were a little red before she looked away. "Y-yeah, yeah, it's fine... it's no big deal. Somebody's got to do it, anyway..."

Which made Fuyuhiko smile sarcastically. "Ah, I don't believe it. If they'd told me this would happen, I'd have laughed at them, but there..."

"Hey, shut up!" Natsumi was quick to turn on him furiously. "I remind you that I'm not the only one with secrets here! Unless you want to get started!"

"Of course, be a smartass in front of your buddy!"

"I will if you keep being a jerkass!"

"Both of you, stop it, please..."

Peko tried to calm them down, in vain. The two children argued again, and they were quite noisy... which didn't really please the boy.

"Woah... this is... so different from the fights between me and Komaru." Makoto whispered to Peko, who was by his side... "Does this... happen often?"

A sigh escaped his lips. "More often than I'd like... It's a family trait, I'd say..."

"Oh? Because your family fights a lot, too? Why do they fight?"

"...I'd rather not answer that question."

Fuyuhiko was the first to stop arguing and focus on the boy. "Yeah, you'd better stay out of this. I can assure you that when our old folks fight, it goes away. A lot farther than yours, that's for sure."

"Oh, yeah? That bad?"

"Well, since you're being told. I swear, you really want to know everything..." Natsumi sighed. "You already know what's going on with Peko, don't bother to get into more trouble."

"B-but I don't mind..."

"Yeah, well, I do mind. I understand you want to help, but you don't have to put yourself in danger like this." Natsumi decided to take a stern tone. "By the way, you know what? You and Komaru are fired."

Surprise was on everyone's faces, especially Makoto's. "W-what?! What do you mean, fired?"

"You heard right! No way I'm letting you play your suicidal hero act! My brother's already fighting monkeys at the zoo to prove he's a tough guy, so we don't need to add another layer!"

"Hey, I'm not gonna let you-"

"SHHH!" She interrupted him before turning to her friend. "I don't like doing this at all, but if it means you stay alive, then I'll do it!"

Makoto really wasn't expecting that. "But...what about Komaru?"

She started to calm down, but she still wanted to be serious. "She wouldn't last a day in that kind of position. It's better that she enjoys life while I take care of the clan. It's better that way."

The poor boy gave her a worried look. "...you know we're friends, right? We're here to help you."

"In this case, it's you who needs help, not me. Besides..." She approached him gently, giving him a sad little smile. "...I'll feel better knowing you're safe."

Fuyuhiko and Peko were very surprised by what they had just seen. "Bo-chan..."

But she frowned as she walked away from Makoto and walked towards the door, opening it with a determined look. "I'm going to see Ojii-san. He said he'd contact a famous detective and try to find out what happened. And if there's some asshole who could've set this whole thing off... I want to take care of it myself. Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it."

She left the room, leaving the occupants shocked, especially Makoto. "Natsumi..."

"Tch! She decided to take matters into her own hands, huh? I didn't think she'd take it so seriously." He turned serious to Makoto. "You're really lucky. I've never seen her so devoted to anyone before. If it wasn't for that, I'd have made you regret making her cry the other day... but I assure you it won't protect you the next time you do something like that."

Makoto looked sad as he waited for that and lowered his head. "I know...I'm sorry."

Fuyuhiko stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Peko, keep an eye on him. I'll join her so she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Understood."

And with those words he left the room, leaving Makoto and Peko alone. Silence was heard in the room for a while as neither child wanted to speak, each with his own reasons.

This lasted until the boy turned to her with a nervous look on his face. "Are you... are you angry with me too? For... for what happened?"

"How could I not be?" She didn't turn around, but her cold tone was very clear. "Your act gave the young mistress nightmares. The young master had to comfort her almost every night so that she could rest. Understand that I cannot be happy after that."

Makoto looked down in shame at what he'd just heard, not knowing what to say. How could he? Everything had been said by other people. Even an apology wouldn't do much good at this point.

"...yet, I can't help but feel reassured."

There, the boy looked up to see that Peko was still serious, but slightly hesitant, and his tone was already less harsh. She looked pensive, as if she was trying to find out what she wanted to say.

"My role is to protect the young masters. This was instructed to me as soon as my training began." She began to explain. "But the fact that you're her friend somehow attaches you to her. So when I heard you risked your life for someone else, I... I admit I was afraid."

That answer surprised him a little. "You mean you... you were worried about me?"

"Of course I was. I have to say that... that I care for you. Even though I know it's not my duty, I've been very worried that I wasn't there when I was needed." She sighed and turned to him, with a neutral look and tone of voice, but according to Makoto, it hid an ounce of emotion. "I know I'm not a very expressive person, but...I'm honestly reassured that you're okay in the end."

Makoto's smile returned after that speech. "Ah...well... I'm glad to hear that's what you think of me, then! We didn't talk too much, but I think you're a good person too!"

"I-I... thank you." She seemed slightly hesitant before frowning slightly at the sight of her leg. "But I wish you wouldn't hurt yourself like that in the future."

He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yes, yes... I'm sorry I worried you. But I promised I'd be more careful."

"That's good. I wouldn't like to see Bo-chan suffer because of it. Nor anyone else, for that matter. It is not because you threw yourself fearlessly into danger that I wish to encourage such behavior towards others."

"But you also count..." The boy started, before he realized anything. "What do you mean, fearless?"

"Well, when you... when you acted, you didn't hesitate for a second. You didn't let fear get the better of you. And even though I know it contradicts what I said earlier..." She blushes a little when she says the next words. "I can't help but... admire the strength you've shown. I think it was... almost exemplary for me."

Makoto began to blush as he scratched his cheek. "W-well, thank you, but you know, I was really scared when I started."

Peko seemed confused when he heard that. "…really?"

"Yes. I was really scared for Kimura-san. I didn't want to see her die in front of me when I thought I wanted to do something. That's why... I did what I did."

"I... I confess I don't understand."

"So do I, to be honest. My legs started moving on their own. But once I was laced up, I felt like nothing could stop me. But all the while, I was afraid that... that I wouldn't reach it in time. I think that... that my fear motivated me to keep going. And that's how I managed to do... this." He ended by pointing to his leg.

Which left the girl even more perplexed. "I... I don't know what to say to that, to be honest. This whole fear thing... that's not how I'm taught to defend myself. I'm told that fear... is a weakness. A feeling that just gets in the way... and you have to get rid of it."

Makoto seemed confused when he heard that, but decided to help him in spite of himself. "Well...I don't know why they're teaching you like that, but...I really thought I wouldn't be able to do it after a while. I was really scared, like I told you. But that's when it all happened. So for me... I think my fear told me what I was afraid of... and gave me the courage not to let the worst happen. I know, it's a strange explanation, but it's the only way I can explain what happened."

Peko started putting her hand under his chin, looking pensive. "Courage... not to let the worst happen..."

"Hm?" Makoto immediately noticed her intrigued look and turned to her. "Are you... thinking about how to best protect your family?"

Shocked, she stood motionless for a moment before she sighed and returned to him with a serious look on her face. "It was that easy to understand, wasn't it?"

"Well, you said you had to protect Natsumi and Fuyu-chan because you were asked to. And with the talk we had earlier..."

"I see... indeed, it makes sense..."

Makoto started smiling at her. "You know, I think you could protect them better if you were happy with them. I don't know what the problem is, but I can see that Natsumi isn't comfortable with this situation, and from what I can see, neither are you."

Peko started looking at the wall, as if she was trying to understand in her head what was being said to her.

As she remained silent, Makoto continued. "Maybe if you get closer to them, you'll be able to understand them better and that'll help you help each other better... like a real family."

"Well...maybe, I..."

The door opened again to let Natsumi's grandfather, with his grandchildren behind him. "Ah, I see you two are getting along well, and without disturbing the other patients. That's good."

"Ah, good morning, sir." Makoto greeted politely. "Natsumi told me that you're going to call a detective to find out what happened... Is that true?"

"Yes, that's right. It's perfectly normal to do that after what happened. The people in the neighborhood are counting on me to restore order."

"I see..." Makoto looked at him with a small smile. "Well, I hope you can find out the truth, sir."

"I appreciate the support, and I promise we'll do everything we can to make sure what happened won't happen again." He nodded his head before leaving the room one more time before dropping one last thing. "I'm going to contact him right now. Use the time you have left to get to know each other better. Let the adults do their work and get some rest."

Once again, the children were left alone in silence. However, Makoto noticed that the yakuza brothers and sisters were looking at each other nervously. _"Maybe they know something important..."_

But he had heard that Natsumi's grandfather wanted the children not to worry. That's exactly why he said what he said. And he remembered his parents telling him that his family had to restore order to protect the neighborhood... _"I just hope everything goes well. I trust him!"_

So he decided to change the subject to lighten the mood, and turned to Fuyuhiko. "Say, Fuyu-chan... what's this about fighting monkeys at the zoo?"

The concerned sighed in exasperation. "Oh, no..."

But his sister only laughed about it. "Oh, you should have been there to see! My idiot brother had decided to go and bump into the monkeys because they kept laughing at him! He just went right into their pen, to tell you! At one point, Peko even had to come and help him!"

"Hey, they were laughing at me! It was unbearable to hear their voices all the time! And it was clearly me they were aiming at!"

"And one wonders why!"

"SHUT IT!"

And there was another argument in the room, but this time the atmosphere was more comical. Makoto laughed nervously as he tried to calm down the two yakuza kids.

Meanwhile, Peko was thinking about the discussion he'd had earlier... not knowing what to do.

* * *

_25/10/2000, 5:30 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO NAEGI**_

_**RURUKA AND TAKARA ANDOH**_

_**SOHNOSUKE IZAYOI**_

* * *

"Mmmh! It'ch cho good! Fank you, Ruruka-chan!"

"No problem! I knew you'd like it!"

Seeing Makoto chew something as he came into the room, Takara sighed, but softly. "Ruruka... I told you before not to take food to the hospital. You know very well it's forbidden."

The person concerned pouting. "Hey! Mako-chan must eat well! It's not my fault they serve bland food at the hospital!"

"I confirm, Ruruka's sweets are better."

"Thank you, Yoi-chan!"

And Makoto couldn't help but agree. "To be honest, sir... she's got a point."

"Hey, thanks!"

"Well, I guess I can't hold it against you this time." Takara laughed a little. "But you have to understand that you can't just go anywhere and do anything you want, okay?"

"Okay, Mr. Andoh-"

He laughed suddenly, but happily. "Oh, please, call me Katara! I prefer children to call me by my name, otherwise I get wrinkles!"

"Okay, okay... Mr. Katara."

"That's better, big boy." He gently rubbed the boy's hair before sitting in his chair. "Well, how are things at the hospital otherwise? Are you being treated well? Is your wound better?"

"Yes, sir, I'm better. Just a little... warm in the leg."

"I bet it does! With that cast, you must be really warm!" Ruruka had a curious look on his face. "When are you going to take it off? Soon, I hope!"

"Yes, the doctor told me the other day that I should be able to leave the hospital at the end of the week... but he thinks I should keep the cast on for a few more days."

"I understand that." Sonhosuke spoke in a neutral way. "With the injury you've had, it's normal to take the necessary precautions."

"Ah yes, I heard that it was ugly to see." Katara spoke again, before asking him a question. "It's too bad Seiko couldn't come, but she had to get her things ready to leave tonight."

That answer surprised Makoto a lot. "W-was it?"

"Yes, she wanted to come too, but the lady who's taking care of her wanted her to come home as soon as possible." Ruruka explained, with a small smile... "But don't worry, she said she'll come tomorrow! I promise!"

"All right, she said! He then turned to Sonhosuke. "Say... why didn't your parents come? I mean, Mr. Katara is here, but I am still a little curious..."

"My father is helping Mr. Kuzuryu on the investigation." He explained calmly. "As for my mom, she's securing the house to make sure everything's okay. Don't worry, I can defend myself. And we've known Mr. Katara for a long time, I often come with him when my parents are not available."

"Ah, okay... sorry if I was a little too curious."

"There's no harm done."

"Tell me, Makoto...your parents told me that you got along well with the yakuza." Katara spoke again. "Forgive me for asking, but I must admit I'm a little curious about the details myself."

"Oh no, that's alright, sir!" He replied with a smile before answering. "It's not a big deal. In fact, I'm friends with Natsumi and her brother and sister, that's all."

"The ones from the other day?" Ruruka asked the question. "I wondered why you looked so familiar with them, especially the blonde."

"Oh, is it about the name? It's just that we've always been called that since we met. It's stayed that way ever since."

"Oooooh, I see... that means you're really close then. I think it's great!"

"I didn't think the clan would allow them to go out with their friends." Sonhosuke commented. "I find it rather intriguing."

"Maybe... but I think everyone is happy when they're together. I hope so." He turned to the adult. "Say, sir... why do you ask? Do you know Kuzuryu-san?"

"Yes, I have a contract with them."

"W-what?!"

"Yeah, that's how I make my living, kid." The adult began to explain with a smile. "I have to supply my products to all the clans around here. I also do home deliveries, you see."

"Woah..."

"Yeah... but that's why you're always tired after work, Dad." Ruruka started looking at him sadly. "You have to be in good shape..."

"Ruruka-san..."

The father rubbed his daughter's hair with a reassuring smile. "I know, sweetie, I know. I promise I'll be careful. I don't have that much work this week, do I?"

"Y-yes, daddy..."

The atmosphere in the room became sad. Makoto noticed that Ruruka looked similar to Komaru the other day. _"We're similar, aren't we, Ruruka-san?"_

"My family is affiliated with the Kuzuryus, too."

Everyone turned to Sonohsuke, who began his explanation. "My ancestors have served the clan for many generations. It's my duty to follow the lineage."

"Ah... I see." Makoto replied by looking at the Andoh family. "Is that why you wanted to know what my connections were?"

"Yes, that's right. There's nothing wrong with being friends with yakuza kids... well, I don't think so." The adult answered. "I just wanted to hear what you think."

"What do I think?" The little boy thought for a while before giving his reasoning. "Well... I can't speak for everyone in the clan, but... I like my friends very much. Natsumi's a bit of a hothead at times, but she's super loyal to the people she cares about. As for Fuyu-cha – uh, I mean, Fuyuhiko-san and Peko-san, we don't talk as much, but I know they share the same qualities. They're not brother and sister for nothing."

If Katara had a little smile on her face, Sonhosuke wouldn't change his expression. Ruruka, she seemed to roll her eyes. "Yeah, if you say so. I mean, okay for the blonde and the other girl, but the guy was really grumpy, though!"

"I'll second that."

"Now now, sweetie, let's not get carried away..."

"But it's true! You don't get to be a tough guy when you've got the head of a stuffed tiger!"

"Uh... I don't think he would have liked that comment..."

"Calm down, everybody, I think we're going to have to leave anyway..." Takara warned before returning to Makoto with a smile. "Have a good night, kid! Try not to get too bored, okay?"

"And try to imagine Ruruka's candy when you eat. It helps."

Makoto seemed amused by Katara and Sonhosuke's comments. "OK, thanks! I'll think about it."

But before they left, Ruruka opened his eyes. "Oh! I just remembered something! In a month, it's my birthday! You can come, you're invited! And if you want, why not your friends and your sister too?"

Makoto was surprised for a moment, but a big smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you! I'd love to come! And so will the others!"

* * *

_26/10/2000, 5:30 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO NAEGI**_

_**SEIKO KIMURA**_

* * *

"So you're the boy who risked his life to save Kimura-san, aren't you?" Seiko's teacher in charge came before him. "I wish we could've met under better circumstances, but Kimura-san wanted to see you as soon as possible. However, you understand that she had to be treated first."

"Y-yes..." she looked embarrassed at the floor. "S-sorry..."

But Makoto didn't feel embarrassed and smiled at him. "Oh, that's okay! I'm just glad you're okay, that's all!"

As the girl looked away with red cheeks, the adult smiled slightly. "Glad to see you understand the situation. I'm Chino Takeko, the head of the orphanage where Kimura-san is staying."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am. I'm Naegi Makoto."

"Yes, I was told before I came here, but it's nice of you to introduce yourself." Takeko bowed slightly to him. "I've come to thank you personally for saving one of the girls in my care. Even though I don't approve of the method, I want you to know that I'm very grateful."

The poor boy blushed as he scratched his cheek. "It's nothing, ma'am. I only did what I thought was right." He then gave a reassuring smile. "And I promise you that in the future, I will be careful."

"I'm glad to hear that. I won't have to repeat what you've been told." She looked more serious. "And don't worry about the boys who molested Kimura-san. They've been identified, and their families contacted. They'll be punished appropriately."

That's when Makoto felt his good mood leave him for a while. Just the memory of those three school bullies... made him really upset. And that really didn't happen very often.

Then Takeko stood up. "I have something else to ask Dr. Nishizawa. I'll talk to him right away. Kimura-san, we'll leave as soon as this is over."

So she left the room, leaving the two children between them, leaving the door slightly open.

For a moment, the two children remained silent, not knowing what to say. Then Makoto decided to speak up. "So...are you all right? Are your wounds completely healed?"

"Y-yes...it didn't take long, but I stayed behind to get the medicine I needed for my illness."

"I see..."

"What... what about you?" She looked at him hesitantly. "Is... is your leg better? Ruruka-san told me, but... I-I preferred to see it for myself."

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you!" Makoto smiled at him again. "I don't feel any pain, and I'm feeling good. I'm just a little hot from the plaster."

"I-I see... That's good. I-maybe you should soak it in warm water after removing it." Seiko theorized. "The reason why the water should be lukewarm is to help the heat go down. If the temperature is too low, it can cause painful irritation to muscles and tendons... well, I think. I-I'm not very good at the human body..."

"Oh, my God! You seem to know a lot about this stuff!" Makoto denied it with a smile. "Ruruka's right, you're really smart!"

That made the girl blush. "T-thank you, but it's no big deal. I-I just quote the books I read, that's all..."

"Me too, you know! But my parents tell me it's all about how you remember it. So you should, too."

"All right, if you say so..." She sighed with relief, before asking him more questions. "Otherwise, are you all right? Here, I mean. Are you eating well? Aren't you bored?"

"A little, to be honest. There's not much on TV, and I can't move around too much because of my leg." Makoto sighed. "But the food's pretty good. Even though Ruruka's sweets are better!"

"I-I see... I'm glad you like it..."

Seeing that Seiko looked sad, Makoto felt guilty right away. "O-oh, sorry, Kimura-san! I forgot you can't-"

"O-oh no, that's okay! It's not your fault!" Seiko was quick to try to reassure him. "Anyway, it's not just sweets I can't eat... there are other foods that are affected by the disease..."

"Oh... Oh, yeah?" The boy was a little sad when he heard that. "How come?"

"W-Well, to be honest, I'm still a little confused by the scientific terms." She started talking. "B-but actually, some foods have cells that are harmful to me, especially sugar or salt. So I can't eat anything sweet or salty, because that would be harmful to my body. The problem is that a lot of foods have these cells in them, so it's pretty hard for me to choose..."

"I... I see..."

"A-and besides, those same foods have other cells that are necessary for my body... so I have to take medicine to compensate." She took her book, which was sitting on the desk. "Everything is explained better in my book."

"And that's why... you wanted it back?"

"Y-yes... I didn't want to lose all the information I needed, and I didn't want to bother Takeko-san to order another one." A face of guilt showed itself. "But I realize I did more harm by doing what I did..."

"Kimura-san..." Makoto looked at her sadly. _"She's still feeling guilty...I have to help her somehow or other. Maybe..." _He spoke again. "May I see the book?"

"Uh?" Seiko seemed a little confused, but after a moment's hesitation, she gave it to him. "Here... but I'm warning you, it's... very complicated to understand."

"Okay, thanks."

So he opened it... and he was greeted by a very... mathematical language. It was the first time he'd ever seen such complex formulas. There were a few sentences written down that he could understand, but as he turned the pages, he soon realized he couldn't decipher them all. "E-effectively, it's... complicated."

"Yeah, I know... even I'm having trouble memorizing it all."

"Yeah?" Makoto glanced at him curiously. "Because you have to remember all this?"

"I... kind of have to..."

Makoto stared at her for a moment before letting little stars appear in her eyes. "Woah...this is great! Hey, would you help me learn all this? I'd like to help you!"

Seiko opened her eyes and turned to him. "Really?! Y-you really want me... to help you learn those formulas?"

"Of course! If I want to help you find a solution to your problem, I have to at least know a little bit about it, because it sounds interesting... well, I can understand if you don't want to-"

"N-no! I'd really like that!" Seiko denied with a big smile masked by her mask. "It's just... it's the first time anyone's ever wanted to learn these things from me. Ruruka-san and Sonhosuke-kun also asked me, but when they saw the notebook and its contents... they got a little scared..."

"Oh, I see..." Makoto smiled at him again. "I can't wait to start our first lesson, Kimura-san-"

"Seiko." Makoto turned towards her to see her radiant head, and he could see she was smiling under his mask, with slightly red cheeks. "You can call me Seiko if you want."

He smiled again. "Then you can call me Makoto, Seiko-san."

"Okay... Makoto-kun."

"Uh... e-excuse me..."

The two turned a little surprised towards the door, to see a girl with violet eyes, short light magenta hair with two small buns on both sides of her head, a red band on her head and a schoolgirl's uniform standing in front of the room, looking a little nervous.

When she spoke, her voice collapsed with her attitude. "Uh... I'm really sorry to bother you, but... I'm looking for my father. He works here at this hour..."

"Ah, I see..." Makoto took the floor, being most at home with strangers. "Is this... Dr. Nishizawa, by any chance?"

With those words, the girl felt a little more relaxed. "Y-yes, it's him. I... I'm his daughter..."

"The - the doctor's daughter? Here?" Seiko was a little surprised. "Are you looking for him?"

"A-a little..." She started to explain. "Actually, classes ended early today, and school's not far from the hospital, so he told me I could meet him at the hospital... but I'm not sure where he is now..."

"Okay, well..." Makoto gave him a little smile. "Still, it's nice to meet you. I'm Naegi Makoto!"

"K-Kimura Seiko... Nice to meet you."

"S-same..." The girl introduced herself. "My name is Nishizawa Kiriko... I hope we can get along well."

"Me too.

"Hmm..."

"Kiriko? Did you finish school early today?"

There, everyone turned to the door to see the doctor and teacher arrive.

"Y-yes, Otoo-san..." Kiriko explained nervously. "I'm sorry I went into a patient's room, but I was looking for you... and the door was open..."

"Ah, I think it's my fault." Chino spoke and bowed to him. "I apologize for the mistake, sir."

The doctor sighed before looking at the little boy. "It's all right... I had to take care of the boy anyway."

"Good. Then I'll let you do your job. Kimura-san, we're leaving."

"All right, then... She turned to Makoto one last time. "Goodbye, Makoto-kun. Hope to see you soon."

"I hope to see you again. Goodbye, Seiko-san."

After the two people left, Kiriko turned to her father with a sad look on her face. "S-sorry, Dad... I know I shouldn't have-"

"It's not too serious, Kiriko. We'll talk about it later." The doctor cut her gently. "Will you wait for us outside? I have to take care of him."

"Alright then..."

She left the room, leaving the doctor and Makoto between them. "She seems nice, but a little shy..."

"Yes, and she's very curious about the medical field, despite her age..." He turned to him with a serious look on his face. "Well, enough chitchat. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I feel fine, sir." Makoto explained. "It doesn't hurt anywhere, and... I just have my leg that's a little hot."

"Hm, I see. Well, we'll check it out right away with a little ultrasound session."

"An... ultrasound session?"

He straightened his glasses. "This will let us know the condition of your leg... and whether or not you're really fit to leave here."

* * *

_**END OF THE FREE TIME EVENT**_

* * *

_**And boom! First Instant Free Time over!**_

_**What do you guys think? Feel free to tell me in the comments! Same thing if you have any questions!**_

_**And speaking of question…**_

* * *

_**CS Soldier 97: This is a Non-Despair AU. Sort of. And I'll update at least one time a month. As for the rest… well, you'll see in due time.**_

_**Jsandovla: Well, considering Seiko's reaction… I think you have your answer.**_

* * *

***Look around***

**Am I on?**

**Hello again, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages! wesst1 coming to, well maybe not since this is a document, but still, I'm here as always to celebrate another new chapter from our friend and mine, Pupla!**

**Remember to read and review, see you later!**

* * *

_**Hey everyone, Overlord here. That was a nice and sweet chapter, everyone get a little bit of time to interact with the Luckster.**_

_**Makoto is quite lucky that he doesn't need a gift for the first FTE.**_

_**And I wonder what ability he would buy with those new Hope Fragments. Those still exist here right?**_

* * *

_**Thanks again, guys.**_

_**Who knows, buddy? Who knows.**_

_**So, we're leaving the middle to go back in history. I thought I'd hurry up and make something pretty drinkable. If you think it's a bit tricky, don't hesitate to tell me!**_

_**I'll see you soon for a new chapter! Ciao!**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.**_


	8. A Premonitory Recovery

_**Hi, everybody! I hope you're all doing well!**_

_**And yes, before everyone notices, it's the same intro as last time. Don't judge me.**_

_**Today we're going to focus on Makoto and his discharge from the hospital! Yeah, we'll do that!**_

_**Once again, I don't have much to say this time... well, maybe I do. Just be careful reading this time, you might be surprised when you come back later. Have a good read.**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 3: A PREMONITORY HEALING**_

* * *

_Kawaguchi Hospital_

_27/10/2000, 6:15 PM_

* * *

The evening was already peeking through the hospital's corridor window, the sun's rays dazzling the faces of Makoto's family, who were all sitting in front of Makoto's temporary room, patiently waiting for him to come out...

Except for Komaru. The little one was sulking. "I hope the doctor's almost done treating Onii-chan… He must be really bored, having had that plaster that's been rolled up for so long..."

This thought amused Mariko who caressed her daughter's head with a smile. "Don't worry, Nishizawa-san is excellent in his field. Makoto's in good hands."

"I know that..." She sulked a little. "But it's just that I wish he would come home. It's boring without him."

"We know, sweetheart. We know." Kotoya smiled at her before discreetly turning to his wife, exchanging a curious... and slightly worried look.

They had yesterday's conversation with the doctor fresh in their minds, after all.

And his explanation of the facts was... very surprising. Even for the professional himself, even though he'd seen the facts in the first place.

* * *

_"Is... is it true, sir?" Mariko looked at the doctor in shock. "Is he really going to be able to get out of the hospital tomorrow? So soon after the accident?"_

_"I know, it's pretty shocking. I find it hard to believe it myself." The man straightened his glasses. "It's the first time I've ever seen a wound of this magnitude heal so quickly. Usually it would take weeks, months even, for a human leg to return to normal, and even after that, there's still the after-effects of an injury like that, especially in a place like this."_

_"A-after-effects?" Kotoya asked the question, clearly stunned by what he heard. "What do you mean by that?"_

_"I'll show you." The doctor them showed the ultrasound scan of Makoto's injured leg. "This represents the condition your son's leg was in when he arrived here. As you can see, the muscles are swollen to the point where they're twice the diameter of his leg. In addition, you can see that the openings are where the veins are. And these same openings have managed to pierce the skin tissue from the inside."_

_The mother couldn't help but let out a little scream of worry when she heard this. "But... but it's horrible! How can it be?!"_

_"From what I saw, it's as if the blood forced its way out because of some pressure in the leg. This is where the blood was the least present, which explains the blue, or even almost black color of the wound... at least, that's what I noticed when it happened. Now look at this."_

_The doctor took another ultrasound of the same leg, this time after the incident. "It was taken yesterday. There are others, of course, but I think this one best represents what I want to explain to you. Can you tell me what you see?"_

_The parents began to observe him closely, and after a while Kotoya started talking, seemingly in shock. "His leg... it seems to be almost healed."_

_"Yes, that's exactly what amazes me. In fact, the damage is lighter than I thought. Only the tendons are still sensitive to movement, but otherwise the muscles that were damaged have already redeveloped well. In fact... I have the impression that they are absorbing as much blood as possible at this point. And I checked, it seems to be affecting the rest of his body as well."_

_"It does?! How bad is it?"_

_"Nothing dangerous, hopefully. Symptoms include a minor slowing of the healing process in the rest of the body, and premature fatigue in the rest of the body. This would probably explain why he falls asleep so quickly and for longer periods of time."_

_"Yes, you mentioned it the other day... but do you know what caused it?"_

_"No, I must confess I'm as lost as you are. As I told you, this is the first time I've seen a wound of this intensity heal so quickly and effectively. And the rest of the body seems to be following suit. Only the back is still in a slight tender state, but at this speed it should be healed by tomorrow."_

_"It's... it's just incredible to hear." Kotoya put his hand in front of his mouth, completely flabbergasted by what he'd just seen. "And what's going to happen now?"_

_Dr. Nishizawa began to look at them seriously. "For my part, I will help him to see if he can walk after our little chat. I'll remove the cast just before the exercise. If it suits you, we'll look at it together tomorrow."_

_Mariko let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, please do."_

* * *

This conversation, although brief, aroused a sense of curiosity among the parents about their sons. Mariko seemed quite worried. _"I've never seen Nishizawa-san so... puzzled. And what he told us yesterday... what happened?"_

Kotoya wasn't very far ahead of her either. _"Come to think of it, Komaru told us that when Makoto jumped, there was a small shock wave... and then he was in a lot of pain. Makoto...what's happening to you?"_

Finally, the door opened. The family saw Makoto without his cast for the first time since the incident... and the sight of them took their breath away.

"Y-your leg..." Komaru spoke almost admiringly. "It's already much better! It's almost intact!"

And indeed, Makoto's leg, once blue and bleeding, swollen from his injury, had practically returned to normal. The wounds had almost disappeared, and the leg had already returned to its basic diameter. It was just a little bit pink because it had been curled up for a while.

"Yes... I'm a bit surprised too..." Makoto said in a soft tone. "Even Mr. Nishizawa looks happy..."

"I'm just relieved to see that you're not suffering any real injury." The doctor came up behind him and looked at the parents with a serious expression. "I'd like to point out that although his leg is now healed, the tendons are still slightly irritated. That's why I advise you not to let him run for the first few days. Make sure he moves slowly."

"I see. We will be careful." Mariko smiles at the professional. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, doctor."

"You're welcome, it's my job."

"Onii-chan!" Komaru ran slightly towards Makoto with a small smile. "How do you feel?"

"Great, thank you!" Makoto laughed a little, shaking his leg slightly. "It feels weird that I don't have a cast anymore, but I was walking all day yesterday afternoon. I'm feeling much better all over!"

"That's good, then!" She started looking at her leg. "I wish you hadn't-"

She stopped sharply, her eyes widening slightly.

"Komaru? What's the matter?"

"Onii-chan... what's that scar?"

On the right side of Makoto's right leg was a scar, slightly curled around the ankle and slightly jagged, very light red in colour.

"Oh, it was already there when the doctor took off my cast." Makoto explained. "The doctor said it was because of the nature of my injury..."

"To be more exact, this is where the blood manifested the most during the healing process." Kameda explained. "I think it's because one of the... most serious injuries was in that area."

"I see..." Kotoya looked at the doctor with curiosity. "And... will it get better?"

"I'm afraid it's permanent. The blood has penetrated the skin cells at this very spot. It doesn't seem to be carcinogenic, but I advise you to keep an eye on it. If you see anything strange, then contact me."

"Understood. Thank you again." Mariko then turned to her children. "Komaru, why don't you take your brother outside? He needs some fresh air after this misadventure."

"All right!" She grabbed Makoto's arm and gently took him away. "What are we waiting for, Onii-chan? I bet you miss the sun!"

The boy got carried away and laughed. "A little bit, yeah. Let's get going!"

"Yeah, let's do it!"

"And behave!" Kotoya gently raised his amused tone before turning to the doctor. "You'll have to forgive her, she was very anxious to reunite with her brother."

"As long as they don't cause problems for the other patients, there's no harm done." Kameda coughed slightly before looking at them seriously. "I suppose you wanted to discuss what you said yesterday?"

"Yes, if that's all right." Mariko confirmed with the same tone. "I confess that I'm disturbed by your attitude yesterday. It's not like you."

"I know that, and believe me, I was surprised too. But the facts were so clear that I had no choice but to accept them." He showed an ultrasound chart. "This one was taken this morning. As you can see, everything appears to be completely healed. The muscles are now in perfect condition, and so are the bones."

"It still looks incredible to me." The husband sighed casually and asked, "And what do you suggest we do from now on?"

"Please just keep an eye on him. Even if he is cured, I think it would be better to take care that his health doesn't deteriorate so suddenly. I repeat, a wound this intense can easily leave marks. For the time being, it's best if he doesn't do what happened in the incident again."

Mariko began to look at him seriously. "This is what we signed up for when it concerns our children, sir. Right from the start."

* * *

The boy took a deep breath of fresh air as he left the hospital. "Whew... it feels good to move around a little!"

"I know, you must have missed it!" Komaru laughed too. "That and being outside!"

"Yes, that's true. Well, I was in bed with that cast all the time..."

"Yeah, that must have been uncomfortable. But, well, now it's over. Hopefully, you won't have to go back here again!"

"...that's unfortunate."

"Huh?!" There she turned to him, looking stunned. "What do you mean, that's unfortunate?!"

Makoto realized it was the wrong thing to say, and tried to make up for it. "I-I mean, there are some nice people at the hospital...it's not that I want to get hurt again..."

"You better not!"

"I-I know, sorry..."

A sigh escaped from Komaru's mouth before she offered him a small smile. "Well, I can understand why you think that... but they're mostly adults, right? It would be a little weird if you visited them, wouldn't it?"

"Ah, that's true... but who knows, maybe there are kids our age here?"

"I doubt it, Onii-chan-"

"Uh... e-excuse me..."

The sudden voice was small and nervous, but the two children heard it anyway. They turned to their right, to see a girl with dark purple hair, which was not all the same length, for some strange reason. She also had light gray-purple eyes. Under the corner of her left eye she had a mole. She was wearing a light pink shirt with puffy sleeves, a light blue pleated skirt and white shoes and socks. What they also noticed, for their concern, was the presence of bandages all over her body.

_"She looks hurt all over... probably a patient?"_ Makoto thought, and seeing the state the stranger was in, decided to speak up and said, "Oh, hello. Can I help you?"

"Uh-uh... well..." The girl looked at his ankle nervously. "I-I see you hurt your ankle... are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, don't worry!" He looked at his little wound. "It's a scar I got after an incident, but now I'm fine, thank you!"

The girl smiled a little when she heard this. "A-ah... good... I was afraid this scar would hurt you..."

"The doctor said he can go out, and it's not getting in the way of his walking, so he's fine." Komaru explained before looking at her with a strange look. "Say, why do you ask? Are you interested in seeing other people's wounds?"

There, the girl panicked and moved back frantically, arms in front of her face in a defensive way and tears appearing in her eyes. "Aah! S-s-sorry! I-I didn't mean to disturb you! I'm so sorry, forgive me!"

That sudden and excessive response took the Naegi children by surprise, and Makoto rushed to her front to calm her down. "Hey, hey, no, it's nothing! Don't worry, we're not mad at you at all!"

The girl calmed down slightly, her eyes a little red. "R... really?"

"Yeah, sorry I scared you!" Komaru joins them without delay. "It's just... it's the first time I've ever heard of someone our age taking an interest in other people's wounds. But we are glad that you care about my brother, thank you!"

"A-ah... that's good..." The poor girl started sobbing softly. "I-I'm sorry... it's just when I see someone hurt, I-I can't help but worry..."

"Thank you again. It's really my pleasure." Makoto smiled at him again. "Hey, can we be friends?"

"R-really?" She seemed so shocked that she stammered. "You… you wouldn't mind?"

"Sure. You seem like a really nice girl!" Komaru was quick to introduce herself. "My name is Naegi Komaru! Nice to meet you!"

"And I'm Naegi Makoto. It's nice to meet you." Makoto kept smiling. "And what's your name?"

The girl blushed a little before babbling cheerfully, "M-my name is... T-Tsumiki Mikan. I-I am happy... to... to meet you..."

"Likewise, Tsumiki-san!" Makoto laughed. "I'm leaving the hospital today, but if you want, I'll come back to see you! I can even introduce you to our other friends, if you want!"

Mikan hesitated for a moment before showing a nervous smile. "Y-you don't have to, but... it-it would be nice..."

"Makoto! Komaru!"

The parents' voices were heard, and the children turned around to see two adults approaching them. Mariko smiled when she saw Mikan. "I see you've made a new friend, kids. And she's even very pretty, too. What's your name?"

Once again, Mikan began to blush. "T-Tsumiki Mikan, ma'am... n-nice to m-meet you…"

"Nice to meet you too, Tsumiki-san." Kotoya smiled in turn. "We were about to leave, but if you want, the children can come and see you..."

"Yes, Onii-chan just said that!" Komaru added. "It would be my pleasure!"

"Me too!" The girl exclaimed with joy, before lowering her voice. "...I-I mean, if you want..."

"Yes! That would be great!"

"Then it's decided." Mariko laughed slightly before bending down towards her. "Makoto's going to rest for the weekend, but after that, maybe we'll be able to arrange a meeting place for a trip around the world? What do you think?"

"That..." A big smile appeared on his face. "That'd be great, ma'am."

"Well, good. Glad we could work it out." Kotoya stroked Mikan's hair gently before taking Komaru's hand. "We must leave now. Goodbye..."

"Goodbye, Tsumiki-san!"

"Goodbye..."

The Naegi family made their way home, leaving Mikan alone outside... and Makoto saw how sad she looked. _"It's okay...I can see her again, so I can make her happy with the others!"_

Komaru noticed her brother's look right away. "Did you see him too, Onii-chan? That she looked lonely?"

"Lonely, you say?" Mariko, who was holding her son's hand, raised an eyebrow when she heard that. "Hmmm... it's true that she looked nervous... maybe she's just shy?"

"Her reaction was super weird, Mom. Like... like she expected us to be angry with her when she came over."

Kotoya seemed intrigued. "It's strange, actually... maybe we could talk to those parents when the opportunity arises." He turned to her son with a smile. "I guess you're going to help him too, aren't you, Makoto?"

The boy turned to him with a big smile on his face.

"That's what I do, Otou-san!"

* * *

_**Yes, helping people is what I do.**_

_**I remember very well when I was a kid, I loved helping people. I think I was very good at reading other people's expressions, trying to help them afterward.**_

_**Habits stay very easily over time, as they say. Even if for me it was normal.**_

_**...what I didn't know is that every action, good or bad, has consequences.**_

_**And I was about to learn another lesson, a much harder and more difficult one...**_

_**But which taught me how to become who I am today.**_

* * *

_**END OF VOLUME 1: BOND FRAGMENTS (PROLOGUE - CHAPTER 3)**_

_**BEGINNING OF VOLUME 2: FIRST CONTACT**_

* * *

_**LIST OF THE HAREM OF MAKOTO NAEGI:**_

_**Natsumi Kuzuryu, the fiery and protective Yakuza**_

_**Seiko Kimura, the big-hearted Pharmacist**_

* * *

_**HERE WE GO! We're doing Volumes now! Or Arcs, it's up to you!**_

_**You've probably guessed it, but this chapter is a bit short compared to the others. You can see the reason now.**_

_**So, what's going to happen now?**_

_**Well, the answer is simple: I'm going to keep doing things at my own pace, but at the end of each chapter, I'll make a little reminder of the volume/arc in which we are in the story. So that no one gets lost in it. This little option is set up for next chapter.**_

_**To make it simple, the very first chapter only introduces the main character's family. The first volume introduces his friends, and the second... is a surprise.**_

_**Also, you have noticed the list of girls in the harem of our dear protagonist.**_

_**Hey, for those who complain, take a look at my profile. You were warned.**_

_**Anyway! This little (for the moment) list will be displayed only at the end of each volume, in order to explain better when each girl falls under the charm of our dear Luckster. Once again, not to lose anyone.**_

_**Let's hear what our guests have to say about that!**_

* * *

_**Well, that ending wasn't ominous at all.**_

_**Hi everyone, Overlord here. I hope all of you are doing fine.**_

_**I'm proud of Pupla for finishing this first Arc. Another milestone for him.**_

_**And you can expect that list to be much longer...**_

* * *

_**Sabandija here. The girls in this fic will be like: to be or not to be (part of Makoto's harem), that's the question. Who knows what the future will bring? That's for you to find out!**_

_**Hope you guys are enjoying this story as much as I do. Be safe and take care.**_

* * *

_**Buddy, I'm closer than you might think.**_

_**As proof of that, I present you guys to my beta reader (for this chapter and for more hopefully). He proposed himself to correct things within my text, and it took him a day for that. I must admit, I kind of feel like I rushed things when I updated the French version. I'd like to make the most of this to say sorry publicly for pressuring the guy without wanting it. Thank you for your work and for that lesson of patience and humility. Send love to him for me.**_

_**See, Overlord? I'm closer than you think.**_

_**Oh, and wesst1 said hi, people. I didn't forget about him, don't worry.**_

_**Also… I have a question for you guys. I kind of intend to make a new 'story' where I explain my choices for this fic. Should I do it? I think I'll do it anyway, but I'll make a poll if necessary. Feel free to ask 'ANY' question regarding what I did in the first chapters, I'll do my best to answer them!**_

_**With that being said, see you next month, for the next chapter! Ciao!**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.**_


	9. Getting Back on Track

_**HELLO, PEOPLE! How's it going?**_

_**Obviously, I can't hear you, but I hope you're doing well.**_

_**And yes, we meet again today for the first chapter of volume two! Hooray for me!**_

_**And yes, I'm celebrating, because it took me a while to think of something decent for what was going to happen in this volume. And as I speak to you now, the idea is there, but the form is still fuzzy, so good... but I hope you'll appreciate what I'm going to bring you on the table!**_

_**Come on, enough wasting time! Enjoy your reading!**_

* * *

_**VOLUME 2: FIRST CONTACT**_

_**CHAPTER 4: GETTING BACK ON TRACK...**_

* * *

_Kawaguchi "Dawn" Elementary School_

_30/10/2000, 07:50 AM_

* * *

Mondays.

Those days that mark the beginning of the week. Those days that mark the restart of people's routine.

Those days that also indicate the return to school, for the next five days, until the weekend and so on.

That is why most children do not like Mondays, by the way. They prefer the quietness of the weekend. Apart from the homework to be done and the tests to be prepared, in comparison, there was much more freedom.

So, yes, once again, most kids don't like Mondays.

...most of them.

"Have fun, Makoto!"

"Yes, and take good care of yourself!"

"See you later, Onii-chan!"

"Yes, see you later!"

But despite what he thought of himself, as far as school was concerned, Makoto wasn't like the others.

Makoto loved to learn new things, and he thought school was the perfect place for it. There were new opportunities every day to absorb as much knowledge as possible, to his great joy.

And the best part about that? He could share his discoveries with his friends.

And he couldn't wait to start this routine again, as he wished his family a good day out at school. He was looking forward to meeting Natsumi and the others to have a good time together.

"Hey, Makoto!"

And speaking of the devil, Makoto was happy to hear his friend's familiar voice. He turned around to see her approaching him as he stepped into the yard. "Ah, hello, Natsumi! What are you doing out here?"

"What does it look like, idiot? I'm waiting for you to go to class." The girl rolled her eyes, but despite the tone, she couldn't help smiling. "Everyone's already gone inside. Yamazaki-sensei asked for a volunteer to receive you, so here I am."

The boy smiled. "Oh, it's so nice of you to wait for me! Thank you so much."

And that made the little Yakuza blush, looking away. "I-it's nothing... I had just arrived, anyway." As they set off for their classes, she quickly changed the subject. "So... is your leg better? Nothing hurts?"

"No, it's fine! I feel great, actually!" Makoto explained in a reassuring tone. "To be honest, I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable being stuck in bed doing nothing, even with the TV on."

"You tell me. Especially with that damn cast around the leg." Natsumi gave him a playful smile. "I bet you were just waiting to move, at this point. You just can't stay still."

"A little... well, okay, completely. But I'm glad it's over." He turned to her with a smile. "I'm finally going to be able to go back to school with you! Thanks again for taking the lessons for me!"

Once again, Natsumi's cheeks turned red, and she avoided his gaze. "Y-yeah, yeah, stop saying that..." She began to sigh as the two children stopped at their classroom door. "But you're wrong if you think it's over. I know I've told you this before, but the whole class still has the accident in mind, and you can be sure they're not going to let you go now."

"Yeah, I know..." Makoto looked at her confusedly. "But are they really so... eager to see me again?"

"Come in first. You'll see."

A little intrigued by what he'd just heard, Makoto opened his classroom door-

"WELCOME BACK, NAEGI-KUN!"

And the next moment, he heard a cacophony of cheerful voices directed at him. And for good reason, the vast majority of the class was now in front of him, with a few exceptions preferring to stand behind the group. Even the room was decorated for his return, with a rather festive theme, with a table with snacks behind the small group, and even a hanging banner that read, "Welcome back, Naegi-kun".

This scene had its effect on the boy, his eyes stunned and not knowing how to react in the first place. _"Woah... are they really here for me?"_

"We're glad you're okay!" Wanabe smiled enthusiastically at him. "We were scared when we heard what happened!"

"Y-yes... we didn't think it could happen..." Her friend Nakamura followed in a more reserved manner. "Are you all right? Kuzuryu-san told us that you hurt your leg..."

Makoto quickly came to his senses when he saw everyone looking at him attentively, and then smiled at his class. "Yeah I'm fine, thank you! I had to stay in a hospital bed for the rest of the week, but now the doctor says I'm better!"

But even after that answer, the words of the others didn't seem to stop soon... on the contrary, they seemed to come even faster.

"Was it you who jumped on the road the other day?!"

"We all heard it on TV! How was it at the hospital?"

"Yamazaki-sensei said you were in pain..."

"What the hell happened?!"

"Is the girl okay? How is she?"

"We couldn't come because we wanted to surprise you... sorry..."

"You're a hero, Naegi-kun!"

But despite that, Makoto could hear what he was being told in a general way, and he had to admit that he was... quite happy with the compliments and attention he was receiving. Even though he'd received a lot of reprimands about it from those close to him, he was happy that his actions had resulted in his life being saved.

...however, all this attention was beginning to embarrass him.

But fortunately, Natsumi came to his rescue... in an unorthodox manner. "Hey, leave him alone! Can't you see you're embarrassing him with all your questions?!"

"Hey, Kuzuryu-san, you got to go see him this weekend! It's the first time we've seen him since the accident!"

The protests were very similar, but the teacher knew how to stop them. "Kuzuryu-san is right, everyone. We must give him time to answer before asking another question. Moreover, we must resume classes. You'll have plenty of time to ask him those questions after class."

The students, somewhat reluctantly, strayed from the path to let them pass and return to their seats. Makoto wasn't resentful, though, and smiled at them as he stood in front of his chair. "That's all right, everyone! We'll spend some time together if you want!"

"Of course, Naegi-kun. I think you know we're all happy to see you again." Haruka smiled at him before focusing on her students again. "Everyone, return to your seats. Class is about to begin."

Each student slowly took his or her place, and once that was done, the teacher spoke again. "First of all, I think with everything that's happened, it's very important for me to remind you to be careful not to put yourself in dangerous situations."

Makoto sighed and Natsumi rolled her eyes. _"Here we go again..."_

"This incident is just one example of the dangers that exist. Remember that there are people who have experienced similar incidents... and have not been as fortunate. That is why I prefer to repeat it to you, always watch your surroundings." She then turned to Makoto. "I think you've already understood what I'm saying, haven't you?"

The boy looked sad, but nodded quickly. "I was lucky... but it won't happen again."

"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled before looking at her whole class. "Please sit down." And when the chair noises were over, she looked at Natsumi. "Did Naegi-kun catch up, Kuzuryu-san?"

"Yes, ma'am. We spent the whole weekend on it, but he had caught up now."

"Perfect. Thank you again." The adult then looked at her class. "Everybody open your books to page 75. We must continue the program."

"Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

_"Pfff... why can't Mondays go faster?!"_

And yes, if Makoto liked to start on school days, Natsumi was his opposite. And so, as a normal student, she hated Mondays... maybe even more than normal.

And that impatience was probably related to the fact that she was slightly influenced by her classmates.

As a member of the Kuzuryu clan, she had the right to go to a better school. But she had decided to test a more modest environment, in order to see what the population looked like. A decision that surprised her brother and his bodyguard, and even displeased her parents a little, but which her grandfather encouraged, and fortunately.

Nothing to do with a boy her own age whom she had met. And if someone in her family brought up the subject... well, she just had to write her name on a list of future targets.

Anyway... after what could have been a better start, and months of hanging out with her classmates... she realized that normal people weren't so bad.

Admittedly, being a member of a yakuza clan played a role in her interactions with people, but most of the girls were nice, even if a little shy. And most of the boys respected her because of her character...

Character that got her into a bit of trouble, truth be told. There were one or two students who were afraid of her because of her behavior, even after her best friend intervened. There were even some pretty serious arguments on two occasions, but fortunately they were stopped before anything serious happened.

Needless to say, she respected her teacher. Not because she was an adult, but because she was able to calm her students without resorting to violence. Not that she would admit that to herself.

If her folks could learn from that, that would be nice. It'll take the sting out of a lot of messy fights.

So, yes, all in all, she liked her whole class, despite some bumps in the road.

...but that didn't mean their attitudes didn't annoy her at times.

"Thank you again, everyone! That was really nice!"

"Hey, it's nothing, Naegi-kun! We weren't gonna let you go home without doing something!"

"Well, we've got to go home! We'll see you tomorrow! And take care of yourself!"

"Yes, yes! I will. I promise. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Naegi-kun!"

Luckily, the day was over and the others were starting to leave. Even the teacher was at the school gate to make sure everyone went home. Finally, some time alone!

Even though Natsumi had spent the weekend with Makoto, it was only for the lessons he'd missed. She couldn't go see him every day at the hospital even if she wanted to, because she had her lessons to do. Not to mention her parents...but that's a story for another time.

Unfortunately, her other classmates couldn't afford to do the same, so they sent words instead. And of course, as soon as he showed up in class, they threw themselves at him like raptors. Not for a moment were they quiet. At recess or lunchtime, and even during class, several people accompanied them. And sometimes it was very embarrassing. Luckily she had learned to be patient, and the teacher was here, otherwise it could have gone wrong.

On the other hand, she will have to have some words to have with Komaru's class. To teach them not to harass others, even by accident.

_"Well, again, my class, I understand, but... why the hell are other classes doing it too, huh?!"_

And, yes, it turns out that when you're one of the people involved in a car accident and you come out alive, you become a local celebrity. Especially when you save someone else in the process. That's the jackpot.

Well, it wasn't so strange, looking back. The incident had been broadcast on television, and although their identities had not been confirmed, rumors had spread about the savior's name. And inevitably, when he finally returned, he drew the attention of virtually the entire school. Makoto was already popular enough to be nice and helpful, so that was the peak. Even some of the students seemed impressed by his achievement. And something told her that it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

And that's exactly what Natsumi wanted to avoid. He shouldn't have been encouraged! What the hell are adults thinking?! Apparently, only her teacher and the principal shared her opinion! To think that she spent the entire weekend telling him not to let him...

"Well, we have to go too!" Wanabe took her friend's hand before heading for the door. "See you tomorrow, Naegi-kun! See you tomorrow, Kuzuryu-san!"

"Yes, see you tomorrow..."

"See you both tomorrow!"

"Yeah, sure..."

But just before leaving, Wanabe and Nakamura turned to Natsumi... and winked at her with a thumb raised in the air. Nakamura was more modest, but the message was similar.

Of course, Natsumi, who understood what they meant, looked away with red cheeks, which amused the two girls before leaving.

Makoto, who hadn't understood what was going on, gave the blonde a confused look. "Hm? Are you all right, Natsumi? You're all red..."

"N-no, it's nothing! Nothing important!"

"Well, if you say so..."

"Yeah, I say so!"

Makoto couldn't get mad at her when she was like that. But he was still curious. "You know, I think this isn't the first time I've seen you like this. In fact, you remind me of Komaru..."

There, Natsumi looked back at him with stunned eyes. "Me?! Are you kidding me?! Did you think I'd turn red the first chance I got, just because everyone's looking at us?!"

"Hey, it's not a flaw, you know..." He laughs a little, amused by her behavior. "You don't always have to be strong-minded. You can be yourself with us."

She rolled her eyes and sighed exasperated. "Yeah, yeah, you've said that a hundred times already. And I'm barely exaggerating." Then she got more serious. "On the other hand, I think it's my turn to remind you. You know what we talked about over the weekend, right?"

Makoto laughed nervously, remembering the conversation. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't let it go to my head..."

"You better not. It's as if some people would encourage you to do it again. Komaru won't be able to bear to face a crowd of people like that again. I thought she was going to pass out."

The young man's eyes saddened as he remembered his sister's embarrassed face. "Poor Komaru... I thought she was better with people."

"It's true she has to improve on that, but considering what she's been through, it's not like I'm going to blame her entirely." She pointed her finger at his chest. "You know how we both feel about this. And don't forget your parents, too."

A bit surprised by her friend's words, Makoto could still feel the weight of her words. _"It's true...I'll have to be more careful in the future. I promised them all."_ He looked at Natsumi with a serious expression on his face, but with a reassuring smile on his face. "I know, Natsumi. I won't endanger myself like that again."

"I'm glad you won't."

"Onii-chan? Natsumi? Are you talking about me?"

The two children turned to see Komaru standing outside the classroom door, looking at them curiously. Makoto was happy to see her. "Ah, hello, Komaru!"

Natsumi was a little more reserved. "Hey, did you hear us?"

"Just a little... I just got here a minute ago..." Komaru smiles timidly towards Natsumi. "T-thank you..."

Smile that the yakuza girl returned in an amused manner. "Pff, it's nothing. Someone has to look after you guys anyway."

"...I thought we were fired?"

"If I left you alone, you'd do something stupid, smart ass!" She turned back to Komaru. "Well, you told me about two more additions to our small team. They are at the hospital, right?"

"Yes... but I warn you, one of them is very shy... more than me."

"Okay, got it." Her eyes fell on Makoto. "What about the other one?"

"Oh, she seems nice too. She's the daughter of the doctor who took care of me."

"Well, then we shouldn't have any unpleasant surprises like that. Fuyu-chan and Peko should be on their way here right now."

"Okay. Seiko-san and the others should meet us there, too." Komaru spoke again. "When I finished school, I've decided to go with you. Your teacher told me which class you were in..."

"Yeah, that's her, all right." She turned to Makoto with a small smile on her face. "Well, you're the only one who knows both of them. Why don't you introduce them to us?"

"Okay! Let's go!"

And with a big smile, the boy took the lead, joined by his sister and best friend, on their way to meet their new friends, with the sun shining on them...

And the more the light came towards them...

The wider the shadow that followed them became.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER**_

* * *

_**And here we go. We go back to the concept of a chapter in several parts.**_

_**And yes, I'm well aware that this chapter was shorter than what I usually do... but believe me, if you've paid attention at the end, you know that the serious stuff begins. And we're not even in the middle of the story yet! I hope you like what I've got in store for you.**_

_**Just to warn you... I forgot to make a couple of corrections to the Free Time chapter. I got the wrong name for one of the supporting characters. Nakazaki when it was Nakamura. Oh, and I got my brushes tangled up with Haruka's name. Not too serious, but still.**_

_**Come on, let's meet again next month for a new chapter. Bye!**_

_**Ah, and yes, we're in deconfinement, but prudence is what counts. So, um...**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.**_


	10. With a New Perspective

_**Hi, everybody! How's it going? Well, I hope so!**_

_**I'm good! But, hey, maybe it would be better if I got a job. You know, for independence and all that. Nah, 'cause with all this mess...**_

_**Huh? Why am I telling you this?**_

_**I don't fucking know! I don't know what to say!**_

…

_**Anyway. We move on to the next chapter. And as a transition...**_

_**The real business begins. Enjoy.**_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 4 PART 2: …WITH A NEW PERSPECTIVE**_

* * *

The three kids were already on their way to the hospital, Makoto in the lead. Even though he didn't come on his own the first time, his parents showed him the way over the weekend, using the school as a starting point. And he remembered the way well.

It should also be said that he was... particularly enthusiastic.

"Ah, I see the hospital! We're almost there!" He signaled to Komaru and Natsumi behind him with a big smile. "I can't wait for you to meet them, Natsumi!"

The young yakuza rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah... you've talked about it at least ten times. Frankly, it was about time we got there."

"Why? Because you wanted to see them?"

"Yeah, partly."

What the young yakuza didn't say, of course, was that she wanted to see what these two new "friends" looked like so she could judge them with her own eyes. _"Makoto may have trusted them just as quickly because they seemed like nice people, but you never know. I've been told this Tsumiki is shy, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, but at the first suspicious sign..."_

"Natsumi? Are you all right?"

"Huh?" Komaru's voice brought Natsumi out of her stupor, and she replied, "Uh, yeah, I'm okay. I'm just wondering what she looks like, that's all."

"You mean physically?"

"Yeah, 'cause, you know, you tell me they're nice, but it doesn't help me get a picture of the girls. And the two or three details you're giving me aren't enough for me."

Makoto laughs a little embarrassed. "Ah, sorry, Natsumi..."

She sighed a little, but in an amused way. "Well, we're going to meet them soon so it's no big deal, but just think about it, that's all I'm saying." She turned to Komaru. "Though, what I'd like to hear again is why we're on our way to the hospital. Wasn't there some place, I don't know, happier than an institution where sick people go?"

"Well, we thought about it too," Komaru explained. "But the problem is, we didn't know where they lived or what schools they went to. We preferred to go to the place where we met."

The blonde sighed. "Okay, logical, I guess... I just wish we could have met where we don't see any injuries. It's killing the mood."

Makoto turned slowly and worriedly to her. "Natsumi, what's wrong? I promise I won't hurt myself like I did before."

"And don't you dare break that promise, you moron." She answered seriously before she looked down. "I just... I don't like this kind of place, that's all."

"Oh, is that so? But why?" The second little sister looked at her curiously. "Is it because of the incident?"

"A little, but..." There, Natsumi turned her head. "Nah, that's just dumb. Let it go."

The Naegi began to look at her worriedly. "Natsumi, you know you can-"

"No, stop it! It hurts!"

The three stopped as soon as they heard a voice in panic and suffering. Komaru seemed the most nervous. "Y-you heard that?"

"Hey, behave yourself!"

"Yeah, you said we could do whatever we wanted, so shut up!"

These following voices seemed haughty and contemptuous. And then Makoto and Natsumi began to open their eyes... ...the latter clenching her fists and teeth. "These voices... I recognize them..."

And apparently, Makoto did, too, since he was the first one to make his way to the voices, followed closely by his two companions. And when they arrived... they were disgusted.

"Tsumiki-san!"

"W-what?"

"Huh?! What are you guys doing here?!"

In front of them were two of the bullies from the other day, moments before the incident.

Pulling Mikan's hair, who was on the ground, crying her eyes out.

One of the bullies held her arms firmly behind her, preventing her from rubbing the red marks on her arms and legs.

Scissors were in the hand of the other who was holding her hair just as hard.

And there were wicks all around her on the ground.

That's all it took for Makoto to look at the bullies with a serious look on his face and furrowed eyebrows. "Let her go! Can't you see you're hurting her?!"

The fat guy didn't seem to like the tone of voice they were talking to him. "Hey, it's none of your business! Get lost!"

But the second brute, the thinner one, looked surprised when he saw Makoto. And he wasn't happy in the slightest. "Wait, I recognize you! You're the one who jumped in to save that freak!"

"The freak has a name, asshole!" Natsumi quickly joins his friend, looking like she's about to explode. "You were messing with her, and now you're bullying with someone else! Who the fuck do you think you are, you deepshits?!"

"Who are you calling a dipshit, you stupid girl?!" The fat man released Mikan who fell to the ground leaving a squeak of pain. He pointed at Makoto with a hateful look on his face. "Because of your buddy, we got punished by the old lady! The orphanage is watching us all the time, now!"

Komatru, who was nervously standing behind Makoto and Natsumi, gathered her courage to look at them and say, "I-it's not Onii-chan's fault! Y-you brought this upon yourselves when you hurt Seiko-san!"

"She's right, it's not right to bully others!" Makoto followed in a more confident tone. "She hasn't done anything to you, so leave her alone!"

The thin man looked at the trio with a vicious look... before a sly smile appeared on his face. "You know what? Okay, let's leave her... now that you're here."

Makoto was surprised. "Huh?"

"Well yeah... we'll be able to settle the score!"

And when he saw the two brutes regrouping and moving slowly towards them, that's when he understood their intentions. And he became very nervous. Natsumi was about to jump in their faces too, and Komaru took refuge behind them, looking at them terrified.

Despite the slightest hint of danger, Makoto maintained his position. _"I can't let them hurt Komaru and Natsumi! I have to protect them-"_

"Hey, can we know what you morons are doing?!"

Everyone turned around to see the third boy who had been there before the incident... the one who had thrown Seiko's book on the road.

But judging by his hateful look at his acolytes, he didn't seem to appreciate their actions. "I leave you alone for two minutes, and you use that time to make a fucking mess? You think you're so smart, acting like clowns where everyone can see and hear you?!"

"Huh?! B-but boss-"

"Shut up! We're in enough shit as it is!" He took a quick glance at Makoto and his friends before turning his back on them. "I'm out of here! I'm not staying with losers like you!"

"H-hey, wait, boss!"

The other two brutes left in a hurry to join their leader, leaving the trio to watch them with curiosity.

"I... I don't really understand what just happened." Komaru confessed confusingly. "Did he... did he just help us?"

Natsumi grunted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but only because if they'd kept going, they'd have been in even more trouble. You heard what he said."

Makoto sighed with relief. "At least there wasn't a fight, that's something..." He then turned his attention to Mikan, slowly approaching her so as not to frighten her. "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you too much?"

The poor girl had tears in her eyes and looked at him like a doe, not knowing what to say or how to react. "Uh... well..."

"Your hair! They cut it!" Komaru went quickly to his side, looking at the strands on the ground. "I can't believe people would do this!"

"I do. Believe me, I've seen worse." Natsumi frowned. "People like that are everywhere. They don't hesitate to attack those weaker than themselves."

Then Mikan started crying. "I-I'm sorry! I-I know I'm weak, b-b-but don't hate me, please! Forgive meeeee!"

The young yakuza was completely surprised by this change of attitude. "H-hey, calm down! I didn't say it was your fault!"

"Yes, it's the opposite." Makoto's sister assisted her. "You didn't ask to be attacked, did you?"

"N-no, but-"

The injured girl stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and when she looked up in surprise, she saw the boy smiling at her. "Don't worry, we're here. It's gonna be okay."

She waited for a moment, before starting to cry again, hugging the boy very tightly, the latter turning the gesture around and letting her empty the tears from her body, repeating "Thank you, thank you...".

The two girls watched the scene with some pity, Komaru whispering in Natsumi's ear, "It's Tsumiki-san. She seemed very shy when we met her... I didn't think it was that shy."

"…I'm not sure we're talking about shyness here..."

Natsumi may have sounded harsh with her tone, but in truth she was in the middle of thinking about what she had just seen. _"So she really is a victim, huh? Someone who gets stepped on, but apparently doesn't have the strength to rebel. She doesn't look like she could hurt a fly... I doubt she'd do anything dirty against us. But we can't leave her like this now, it would be too cruel."_

"W-what's going on?"

Everyone turned to a pink-haired girl who approached them nervously. A girl Makoto recognised immediately. "Ah, Nishiziwa-san! Did you hear us?"

"Y-yes, for a little while now, actually. I was starting to get worried, so I came to see..." Kiriko looked at them before she noticed the strands of hair on the ground, her eyes shocked. "Wha-what happened to you?!"

"Hey, Natsumi!"

"Makoto-san! Komaru-san! Are you all right?!"

At that moment, a second group approached them, and the trio saw the forms of Fuyuhiko, Peko, Ruruka, Seiko and Sohnosuke approaching them, looking worried. "Everyone!"

"We saw the bullies from the other day go by! They didn't do anything to us, but they didn't look happy!" Ruruka explained first, frowning. "And neither do I, for that matter! Just the sight of them made me sick!"

"Y-you're alright. That's good..." Seiko sighed with relief, before noticing Kiriko. "Nishizawa-san? You were here too?"

"Yes, I've just arrived..."

There, Sohnosuke turned to see Mikan, and like others before him, he noticed the details of the scene. And that made him frown as well. "They did this to you, didn't they?"

"Uh-uh..." The poor thing was starting to panic. "I-I'm sorry..."

Everyone looked at her in amazement, before Peko went towards her. "We're not angry with you. You have nothing to fear from us. We just want to know the truth."

Seeing that the girl was hesitant, Fuyuhiko turned to the trio. "Natsumi, Makoto, Komaru... Tell us what we missed."

Makoto began to look at the two girls, Natsumi nodded her head seriously. Komaru, although a little nervous, made the same gesture. Then he turned to the others. "All right. Sit down, everybody."

* * *

And so the group of ten children sat in a circle to introduce themselves and explain the situation. The circle, running from left to right, was formed like this: Makoto, Komaru, Natsumi, Fuyuhiko, Peko, Sohnosuke, Ruruka, Seiko, Kiriko and Mikan, who was on the left of Makoto. He wanted to be there to reassure her after this ordeal.

Needless to say, after the testimony, the atmosphere was rather tense.

"Is... is that true?!" Seiko looked at Mikan with a terrified look on her face. "Did they really do this to you?!"

"Yes, they even had the scissors in their hands." Makoto explained, frowning sadly. "I think they were starting to attack her when we got there."

"Rah, I can't believe it!" Ruruka exclaimed with rage. "First they almost killed Seiko-chan and now they're going after someone else?! I don't know what's keeping me from slapping them!"

"That makes two of us, believe me." Natsumi growled. "Except that I would have done ten times worse to them. Especially after they tried to come after us."

"Really? They tried, huh?" Fuyuhiko turned to her, rage in his eyes. "Well, we'll see what the old folks say, here. No way it's gonna go on like this!"

"O-oh no..." Kiriko confessed as she looked at the ground shamefully. "I-I heard the screams, but I decided to go outside only after I heard Naegi-kun and the others. I-I should have warned someone that something bad was going on..."

"Hey, it's not your fault! You couldn't have known what was going on!" Komaru comes immediately to her defense. "At least the worst is over. We can do something now!"

"She's right. We can warn the hospital staff to keep them away from here." Peko suggested. "And our families will be able to report it, too."

"Yes. We'll just have to hope that everything goes well afterwards." Sohnosuke added before sighing. "I didn't think we'd get into trouble on our first meeting together. I would not like to interfere-"

"I'm-I'm sorry! Forgive me!"

Everyone turned around with an astonished look on their faces to see Mikan sobbing, panicking and refusing to look anyone in the eye. The reason why they seemed surprised was obvious: no one expected this kind of reaction.

Komaru was the one who asked the question that was on everyone's face. "Y-you're sorry? But for what?"

"For everything! Absolutely everything!" The poor thing started crying continuously. "Y-You were all planning to go out together, b-but I ruined it by letting you see me like this! This is not what I wanted!"

"Hey, calm down! It's not your fault!" Fuyuhiko shouted, a little frustrated by her attitude. "We already told you those assholes are responsible!"

But it only made her cry more. "Aaaah! I-I'm sorry! I-it's just that they're not usually this aggressive-"

"Wait, usually?!" Kiriko interrupted in a frightened way. "You mean this isn't the first time this has happened?!"

Natsumi followed in the same tone as his brother. "And you do nothing to defend yourself?! Seriously, it's not normal!"

"S-s-sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive meeeee!"

Everyone looked at the poor girl sobbing, stunned by the victim's behavior. How could she behave like that? How could she blame herself so much for what was happening around her?

"Hey, it's all right now. We'll help you."

Everyone turned to Makoto, who had placed his hand on her shoulder, a reassuring smile, something that surprised the girl a lot.

"We're not going to let you suffer any longer. What's happening to you isn't fair." He affirmed with a tone as sincere and serious as it was benevolent, and this with a big reassuring smile. "And we're going to help you. We haven't known each other long, but... I'm all the way with you, Tsumiki-san."

The quietest, having Fuyuhiko, Peko and Sohnosuke, had their eyes closed, but they had a little smile on their lips. The most emotional ones, Komaru, Ruruka, Seiko and Kiriko, looked at Makoto with admiration, with the same expression.

Only Natsumi seemed to have reservations. She was happy, but... she couldn't help but frown when she saw the scene.

Mikan, for her part, stared at the boy in front of her, her eyes red from crying, her brain seemingly unable to understand what he had just said. But her cheeks were all red, the tears were coming at a halt, and her mouth was looking for words. "W... w-what? Y-y-you mean y-you really want to... help a w-w-w-w-w-weakling like me?"

Komaru was the first to join her brother, shaking her head with a determined air. "You are not weak! It's the people who tell you that who don't know what they're talking about! You can't blame yourself for everything!"

Peko frowned, but spoke in a serious tone. "Indeed. It's clear your oppressors are the weakest. But they'll probably take advantage of another opportunity to try another shot. And I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"M-me neither!" Kiriko looked at her with a sad but determined look. "I'm the one who should apologize! I-I know I couldn't know, but... I didn't do anything! And besides, now that I think about it, it's not the first time I've seen you here! You were probably hurt and I..." She interrupted herself before resuming in a safer tone. "So now it's all over! I don't want to look away every time something happens!"

"Well said! We're not gonna sit around and do nothing!" Ruruka then decided to intervene by opening her personal tasting box and taking a light purple macaroon to hand it to the still crying girl. "Here, it's for you! You need it! It'll do you good, you'll see!"

Mikan looked at the sweet with shock, before taking it in her trembling hands. "T-thank you very much..."

She put it in her mouth... and as soon as she chewed a little, the stars appeared in her eyes, as well as the cascades of tears. "I-it's so goooooood! I'm sorry, I can't contain myself!"

Ruruka smiles amused. "Hey, at least you're in a better mood, that's an improvement..."

"If she likes your candy, then she's a good person." Sohnosuke added before turning to Seiko. "She looks a lot like you, Seiko."

A comment that made Seiko laugh slightly. "Yes, I suppose..." She then turned to Mikan. "I'll help you too. I don't like to see people suffer like this."

"T-thank you very much..." Mikan replied with a small smile, crying slightly with red cheeks. "I-it's the first time in my life that someone's ever told me that they care about me..."

Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow when he heard that. "The first time? What do you mean-"

"Leave her alone, she's upset enough as it is." Natsumi interrupted in a calm but serious manner, which was quite surprising to those who knew her. She turned to Mikan and asked her in the same tone, "Would you tell us your name? You know, just to get to know each other better."

"A-ah! That's right, I forgot! Excuse me!" The girl apologized before she looked at everyone. "M-my name is Tsumiki Mikan... I hope from the bottom of my heart we can all get along."

"I'll do the same! And don't worry, I know we'll get along!" Makoto supported her. "I'm Naegi Makoto! A pleasure to meet you!"

The new member of the small group blushed again and allowed herself to laugh as she looked at him. "L-likewise..."

"Hey, big brother, your mind is elsewhere!" Komaru pointed this out to him. "You already said your name the other day, before we left!"

"I know, but I wanted to tell her, because she had already told us too!"

"Oh, that's so cute! You want to be a gentleman?"

"It's a good tactic."

"Hey! Stop it!"

"Ruruka-san, Sohnosuke-san, you're embarrassing him..."

"Well, I think it's nice of him..."

"Yeah, the guy's always like that, anyway, so it's no surprise."

"That's right... by the way, who are you? I think Kimura-senpai mentioned you."

"A-ah yes, excuse me! My name is Nishizawa Kiriko, and I'm the daughter of..."

While the others introduced themselves and chatted, Natsumi looked at Makoto, who was happily talking to Mikan, and as she looked at the two of them... she couldn't help but be pensive.

_"Helping people is the right thing to do, isn't it, Makoto? Yeah, I think I understand a little bit, actually. I don't appreciate all of her quirks, but... it's clear she needs a little help, just by looking at her eyes."_

_"…"_

_"...I wonder if I had the same look, back then."_

* * *

_**FREE-TIME EVENT BEGIN**_

* * *

_**And here we are! The second Free Time Event coming up! With the original gang of this AU now complete! Isn't that wonderful?**_

_**YES. IT IS.**_

…

_**Okay, enough with the jokes, I'm sure I've left you a little on edge with this little cliffhanger, haven't I? Well, don't worry, as I said, this is the beginning! If not for now, it's definitely for later! That was just an appetizer! Hahaha, you didn't think I hadn't thought of that, did you? Confess!**_

_**And besides, by the time I get this out, the first Pokémon DLC is out! If it's not a holiday season!**_

_**By the way, the usual people who support me (I think you know who they are) said hi to you guys. Go check my other fic if you wanna know their names. And go check them out... again.**_

_**I'll leave you two to enjoy yourselves, I'll go and enjoy it myself! Ciao!**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.**_


	11. Free Time Event II

_**Hi, everybody! I hope you're all doing well!**_

_**Today (or rather, during this chapter), we're going to (re)immerse ourselves in the wonderful universe of Free Time Events!**_

_**Yes, it's the same text as for the first one. Don't judge me, I prefer to spend more time on the story.**_

_**Well, I don't have a lot to say about that one because... well, at this point, you know the song. **_

_**Oh, yes, I do. Now I remember.**_

_**SORRY I'M LATE!**_

_**Yeah, I know, I'm just thinking about it now. **_

_**But believe me, I have good reason to be late on this one. Or rather, several. I'm not going to explain myself right now. I'd rather talk to you at the very end. I don't want to spoil your reading pleasure.**_

_**There, I've held you up long enough. Enjoy your reading!**_

* * *

_**FREE TIME EVENT II**_

* * *

_31/10/2000, 5:20 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO AND KOMARU NAEGI**_

_**NATSUMI KUZURYU**_

_**MIKAN TSUMIKI**_

_**RURUKA ANDOH**_

_**SONHOSUKE IZAYOI**_

* * *

On Tuesday evening, the small group of children could be seen rushing to their common destination, with Ruruka taking the lead in a cheerful manner. "I can't wait for you to come and see what Otou-san's bakery looks like, everybody! I'm sure you'll like it!"

"Indeed, Ruruka's father is very organized." Sonohsuke added. "He's a particularly hardworking man."

"Woah... that's cool!" Makoto exclaimed with a big smile. "I want to see what it looks like, too!"

Komaru smiled too. "Yes, it looks really cool! I was also wondering what kind of sweets you make!" She turned to her friends. "What do you think, Tsumiki-san? Natsumi?"

"H-heh?" Mikan turned to her a little surprised before smiling nervously. "Y-yes, it looks great... s-sorry, it's the first time I've been to a place like this..."

"Don't apologize for that. It's no big deal."

Natsumi, on the other hand, seemed calm and reassuring to Mikan, to whom she seemed more sympathetic, and this, the most observant had noticed.

But if she had to be totally honest... she was hiding an ounce... well, let's put it plainly, she was feeling a certain frustration. Not with the people around her, but more with the current situation.

She knew very well why they were all here today. Officially, it was so that everyone could get to know each other better. And although there was mostly that reason... she knew that the real reason was Mikan. And with good reason. She was the one who made the basic suggestion.

A logical decision on her part? Yes, but more importantly... The poor girl had a questionable, not to say absolutely unstable and practically nonexistent mental state. Everyone had noticed her behavior, but she was probably one of the only ones who really understood the extent of the problem. That's why, at the end of their first meeting, after discussion, she suggested taking her to several places they knew in the hope of helping her develop her courage. But in view of her nervous characteristics, it took a while before the fruits of their labors appeared.

In view of the situation, they had all decided to start in a rather joyful place, to ease her better. And Ruruka had appointed herself to take them to her father's bakery. Not everyone was able to come, but she decided to take the time to observe her better and help her.

But what upset her now was not her behavior. After all, she knew how to be patient, even if it took some effort.

No, the thing is... she relied a little too much on one person in particular.

No kidding, she knew Makoto was probably the nicest person in the group... but she didn't have to depend so much on him either! Komaru was nice too, even if she was a bit shy, and yet she didn't rely on her the whole time! _'We'll have to talk to her about it when she's calmer. No question of solving one problem to create another.'_

And no, it was definitely not because she was jealous. Not in the slightest. She was a hothead, but she had self-control! Besides, Makoto isn't the kind of person who abandons his friends!

What do you mean her cheeks are all red?! It's because it's hot, damn it! Leave her alone!

"Here we are!"

Ruruka's voice took her out of her head, and she watched the shop with an ounce of interest. And she had to admit... it was pretty impressive. "It's... it's bigger than I thought."

And indeed, the shop, though seemingly modest, seemed bigger than she'd seen before. The bakery looked bigger than the other buildings nearby, and the pink and yellow colors really set it apart from the other buildings on the street.

The others looked impressed, too. "Woah... it's huge!" Komaru commented. "I didn't know it could be so big!"

"Not bad, eh? Otou-san loves to have room for his work!" Ruruka smiled confidently. "And yet, you haven't seen the inside! Come on, let's go!"

That's all it took for the children to rush to the automatic door, which opened for them.

And to say the least, the children seemed astonished. "Woah... it's huge!"

The store seemed even bigger inside, and all the decorations seemed to invite customers, especially children. Behind the windows, there was food for all tastes, from baked goods to candy. But what seemed crazy was that this bakery had a small dining area. No wonder Ruruka seemed proud!

And the other kids seemed just as amazed. "It's so pretty! Look at how everything is decorated! It looks like a gourmet paradise."

"I-I've never seen so much food in my life..." Mikan couldn't stop drooling over the windows. Turning timidly to Sonhosuke, she asked, "Uh... is he doing this all by himself?"

"He sometimes hires staff to organize the bakery. He does all the bakery work. But for sweets and cakes, he usually gets outside suppliers." He answered with a little frown. "That's why they're not as good as Ruruka's sweets."

"Oh, I dunno too much about the cakes, but I prefer to make my own sweets!" Ruruka clarified immediately. "That's also why I want to open my own candy store someday, I've always found that the taste of candy or other cakes is artificial! You know, that's not true! Too bad not everybody can do everything by hand like Otou-san!"

"I admit, it's cool." Natsumi added, sounding sincere. "You must have a lot of guts to deal with something like that. Although I figured he could use a little help."

"Yeah, that's great!" Makoto exclaimed in admiration. "Your dad seems to be really giving it his all, too! I can't wait to see him!"

"Teehee, thanks!"

"Ah, I hear someone talking about me! Ruruka, are those your friends here?"

There they saw Ruruka's father, Takara Andoh, arrive from his workstation with his apron on. "Otou-san!"

"You're right on time, too! It's good to see you all again!" He approached them before he noticed Mikan. "Oh, and you've met someone else, that's right. What's your name?"

The poor girl smiled nervously, and stammered a little when she saw him. "Uh... I-I'm Tsumiki Mikan sir... n-nice to meet you..."

"She's shy, Andoh-san." Sonohsuke helped her a little. "She's not used to talking to others."

"Oh, I see! It's okay, you're in good hands here!" Takara laughed a little before turning to her daughter. "Will you take them to the terrace, sweetie?"

"Yeah, I will! Follow me!"

And while Ruruka was guiding them, Makoto was watching a little more. _"There are so many options… Ruruka's father seems to have a lot of choices, plus he's got a lot of space. Is it because he made a contract with Natsumi's clan?"_

Once outside, Ruruka led them to a large table in the corner, near the window where the cakes were displayed. "And there it was! You can choose, just like that!"

"Woah... that's handy, isn't it?" Komaru expressed herself with stars in her eyes. "It's like in a small restaurant!"

"Did you see that? It's so handy!" Ruruka smiled at her. "Dad always says we should think of the customers' comfort, as if it was their second home here! Although I think that's a bit of an exaggeration..."

"Yeah, people can think they're kings, or some... some other shit like that." Natsumi grunted a little, holding it in. "Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've seen people behave badly for a yes or no answer. And in those cases, it goes wrong pretty quickly..."

"You mean... like the bullies the other day?"

"Yeah, but worse. I know, it's unbelievable, and yet it exists."

"W-wow... that's a little scary..."

"My dad says people like that are weak."

"Weaker than you think..."

While the children were discussing their rather serious subject, Makoto noticed that Mikan was silently watching the food with a particularly interested look on his face. There were stars in her pupils, and she was salivating a little, which amused the boy a little. _"It's like she's never seen so many treats in one place... it's cute to see."_

Deciding to go talk to her, he leaned over. "Don't know what to choose?"

"U-uh?!" Mikan was slightly startled, but when she saw Makoto, she was a little less nervous. "Uh... f-forgive me, it's just that... it's my first time going to a bakery... a-and with someone, too..."

Everyone heard what she said, and they turned to her with a shocked look on their faces, especially Komaru? "Wait, seriously? You've never seen a place like this before?"

"N-no... w-when I'm not in the hospital, I wait at home... a-a-all alone..."

The poor thing was starting to cry a little bit before Ruruka intervened. "Hey, don't worry! Now that you're here for the first time, we'll make sure you have a good memory! Especially since this is the best bakery in the whole neighborhood, you'll love it!"

"If you want, we can help you choose." Sonhosuke added. "Take your time."

"Really?" Mikan looked at them in surprise, then smiled and dried her tears. "T-thank you very much... I-I think I'll take what you gave me yesterday..."

Ruruka smiles proudly. "Ah, you have good taste! I still have several more that I prepared this morning! Don't worry, they're nice and fresh!"

While Ruruka and Sonohsuke guided Mikan, Makoto and Komaru watched the scene with a smile on their faces. "Phew... It seems Tsumiki-san is opening up to us a little more. That's good!"

"Yes. I'm glad she's starting to feel a little better. No one should be so nervous around people." He turned to Natsumi. "Isn't that right?"

But the blonde was just looking at the trio in a serious way. "Yeah," she said. So far, so good."

The truth is, she knew that, no, it wasn't okay. Maybe Makoto understood that, too, but apparently he was more concerned about his condition right now, which was just as well...

But for Natsumi, there was something really wrong with Mikan's behavior. Even though she seemed happy.

* * *

_01/11/2000, 5:20 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INVOLVED:**_

_**MAKOTO AND KOMARU NAEGI**_

_**NATSUMI KUZURYU**_

_**MIKAN TSUMIKI**_

_**SEIKO KIMURA**_

_**KIRIKO NISHIZAWA**_

* * *

And that feeling lasted for the next day.

"Well, I guess it's better than a hospital, but... seriously, a place for herbal medicine?"

And yes, this time the gang had decided to take a different approach. They were going to a place Mikan particularly liked, for the same purpose as the day before. Only, uh...

"Well, actually... she told us she likes places where people get treated." Komaru whispered in her ear. "But then we remembered you don't like hospitals, so we wanted to go for a more... gentle option. Luckily Nishizawa-san's mother is a specialist in this field..."

"Yeah, that's what she said." Natsumi sighed slightly. "Well, it's still better than the other day, I guess..."

"Yeah, and besides... Tsumiki's not the only one who's interested."

"Woah... this is great! I didn't know herbs could do this!"

"Y-yes! That's-that's really impressive! I'd love to learn... I mean, if you don't mind, of course!"

"Oh, yes! That would be great!"

"...weirdly, I kind of expected that."

"Yeah, me too. You could see that Onii-chan is curious..."

"Obviously."

And, yes, the girls had known the song all along. As soon as Makoto saw something new, he wanted to learn it, even if it was complicated. And once again, it had just happened again.

And once again, that trait drew attention from around him...but the right attention.

"Of course it did. I'd love to!" Kiriko smiled a little. "Even though I don't know much, I'd be happy to tell you what I know. But hey, it's better if you could take some notes, on the other hand..."

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Makoto took a notebook and a few pencils out of the binder he'd brought for the occasion. "It looked like a complicated subject, so I prepared myself! Besides, I wanted to learn from Seiko-san, so I said... 'Two birds with one stone'? That's the expression, I think..."

"Really?!" Seiko exclaimed before she realized what she had done and looked away, her cheeks red. "Well, I-I mean... it makes me happy..."

Natsumi and Komaru noticed her face, and they couldn't help but frown. The young yakuza walked towards the group and looked at Kiriko. "Hey, Nishizawa. There's something I don't quite understand. Mind if I ask?"

"A-are you? Go ahead, I'm listening."

"The fact that you chose to go to the hospital instead of here after school... I mean, it might be closer to your school, I don't know, but it's not a place kids our age would go."

"I admit it's weird." Komaru looked at her curiously. "Is it because your dad works there?"

"Y-yes, in part..." Kiriko explained, showing herself slightly nervous. "Actually, I wish I could go into medicine later... but I confess I'm not sure what to do, actually. Either in my father's field or my mother's..."

"R-really? You too?" Mikan looked at her in amazement, then smiled nervously. "Oh, that's great! I-I hope we can achieve our dream together... I mean, if you don't mind..."

Kiriko smiles softly at her. "No, not at all. It would make me very happy."

"I'd like that, too. I think we could learn a lot from each other." Seiko continued with the same expression, although we couldn't see it with her mask on. "I wish I could help people who suffer from diseases like me... I've always enjoyed helping people."

"Me, too... even though I'm not sure people appreciate my help..."

The people turned to Mikan, again with Komaru speaking for them. "Why do you say that? Is it because of the bullies the other day?"

This question made the poor girl nervous. "Hmm... well-"

But Natsumi interrupted her before she could explain further. "Nah, it's deeper than that. She said it's not the first time it's happened. We had to tell her she'd never be able to help anyone. Am I right or wrong?"

Mikan became even more nervous. "I-I... I'm... I'm sorry! It's just... I can take care of myself, so I can offer my services to those who need them... b-but I'm not sure I can do anything right..."

"Hey, don't say that!" Makoto walked towards her quickly. "Anyone can make their dreams come true! Don't listen to those who hurt you!"

"Yes, you should!" Komaru joined him immediately. "They don't have the right to tell you what you can and can't do!"

Everyone looked at them silently, waiting for Mikan's reaction, who didn't seem to know how to react.

"Kiriko? I'm hearing noise. What's going on?"

Everyone turned to the newcomer, who was none other than Kiriko's mother, a woman in her forties, with long pink-purple hair and a doctor's outfit.

Kiriko spoke quickly. "O-oh, it's nothing, Okaa-san! We were just talking about what we wanted to do later, but we touched on a subject my friend Tsumiki-san doesn't like..."

"Oh?" The woman turned to her with a thoughtful glance. "Is that so? Do you want to talk about it? It's important to say things, you know."

"T-thank you very much, Nishizawa-san, but I'm fine!" Mikan replied with a smile and tears in her eyes. "This is the first time anyone thinks I can achieve my dream of helping people! It makes me feel weird, but... I-I think I love it!"

Everyone looked at her attentively before Kiriko's mother smiled. "Well, it makes me happy. Maybe you want me to help you understand a few things about what you like? I heard you have a dream similar to my daughter's."

"That would be nice, thank you very much..."

"I'd like some help, too, to be honest..." Seiko, spoke a little nervously, pointing to the pages of her notebook. "It's about my illness... b-but I confess I don't understand everything..."

Seeing the pages, Kiriko felt some sweat dripping from her neck. "W-wow... it-it's... very complete..."

"Oh, yes, indeed, it's complex." The adult laughed nervously before smiling at them. "Well, fortunately there aren't many people here today. My colleagues can take care of everything while I explain everything to you. Follow me, all of you."

"All right!"

As the adult led the trio of doctor trainees, the second trio of childhood friends followed closely, Komaru whispered to her brother, "Woah... I didn't know she was sick. And I didn't know she had to memorize all this... it's hard to understand..."

"Yes, it is. I was surprised to see that when she showed it to me. She told me she had to memorize the formulas in her notebook." He answered with a smile. "I think it's great. To learn all this, even under her conditions, is admirable to me. That's why I'd like her to teach me what she knows."

Komaru laughs slightly. "Of course you would say that, big brother. Another opportunity to help people?"

"Maybe. I didn't say I could do it..."

"Don't go down now. You haven't even started yet."

"Yeah! You're right, Natsumi!"

"Of course, moron."

The young yakuza used a slightly amused tone so as not to worry her friends, but... this story about Mikan was starting to go over her head.

Even when we complimented the girl, she still had a reaction of doubt in her. As if... as if she was afraid it wasn't true. Yes, it was fear in her eyes, and it was intense.

So intense that it overshadowed everything else. And it really pissed her off.

And to think that she had to take her somewhere tomorrow with her family... thank God she planned it.

* * *

_02/11/2000, 5:20 PM_

* * *

_**CHARACTERS INCLUDED:**_

_**MAKOTO AND KOMARU NAEGI**_

_**NATSUMI AND FUYUHIKO KUZURYU**_

_**PEKO PEKOYAMA**_

_**MIKAN TSUMIKI**_

* * *

Yeah, it's a good thing she planned this... after all, she's allowed to have a little fun.

Even if it was at the expense of her brother.

"Seriously, remind me again why we're here?!"

"Why do you think, dumb-ass? To have a good time together. Besides, you heard Tsumiki, didn't you? She's never seen any animals face-to-face, so here's her chance."

"Speak for yourself! And stop making excuses!"

"Calm down, please..."

No, she wasn't ashamed. Not after the last two days of trying for her. After the stress of Mikan's behavior, she needed to relax a little.

And what better way to relax than to take it out on a family member? Ah, the joys of brotherhood...

"Uh... Onii-chan, I'm a little confused, too. Why did Natsumi choose a zoo again?"

Right... she didn't really explain her choice to the others. Well, except for Makoto...

"Uh, I think it's about a story about Fuyu-chan... a story about... monkey fighting?"

The person concerned sighed exasperatedly. "And here we go again..."

"Hey, you asked for that one! Honestly, going to pick fights with chimpanzees!"

"I told you, they started it! Besides, it only happened once!"

"Do you really think that's an excuse?! Well, they're looking at us, so don't you dare play another one!"

"You're the one who took us in front of them, idiot!"

"W-what?!" Mikan turned to him in panic. "Y-you fought chimps?! By yourself?!"

"No, luckily, I was there when it happened." Peko sighed, paying close attention to the primates in their cage. "Fuyuhiko was provoked by monkeys on our last visit a short time ago. He didn't like it and threw himself into their cages without thinking to prove his worth, so I had to join the fight."

Komaru began to look at Peko in an impressed way. "Woah... seriously? I knew you were strong, but at this point..." Then she turned her attention to Fuyuhiko, this time more strictly. "You're just as hotheaded as Onii-chan, when it comes to risk-taking..."

"Hey, don't compare me to that idiot! I know what I'm getting into, compared to the other one!"

"Hey! Why am I always reminded of the incident?!"

"Because it's evidence that you can't hold still, moron." Natsumi reminded him before looking at her brother with a scoundrel laugh. "And that goes for you too, Fuyu-chan. Honestly, you must be really stupid to fight with things that are stronger and more numerous than you."

"WHAT?! You're the one telling me that?!" Fuyuhiko yelled at her, looking stunned. "You're the one who's going around taking other people's shit for no reason at all?!"

"What?" Makoto turned to Natsumi, looking surprised. "Is that true?"

The blonde turned her head, closing her eyes proudly. "At least I knew when I had a chance! Each time, they'd been looking for it. Besides, I don't do it that often now, so what's the big deal?"

"Yeah? Well, that's not what you're showing when we get home! Especially to me!"

"If you'd stop looking for pissing me off! It's like you never learn!"

A new argument broke out between the yakuza siblings, something Makoto, Komaru and Peko were used to.

But not Mikan, who gently approached Peko to whisper, "Uh... d-do they fight often? D-do I have something to do with it?"

Another sigh escaped the young swordswoman. "No, don't worry about that. It's a recurring thing with them. I always try to calm them down, but most of the time it's not easy."

Komaru, who had become accustomed to this kind of scene from her friend and brother, whispered reassuringly, "I think it's weird, too, that they're bickering like this. We're not like that with Onii-chan. I think they actually like it..."

"Maybe it's a family dynamic..." Makoto turned towards Peko intrigued. "Is it, Peko-chan?"

The young swordswoman seemed hesitant to speak, before looking away. "...it's true that our family often quarrels like this, yes. But it always works out in the end."

Komaru sighed with relief. "Ah, that's better! I was afraid for a while!"

Makoto, on the other hand, looked at Peko suspiciously, worrying about her. _"She's not looking at us... is she afraid to confess the truth to protect us? Is it really that bad?"_

"M-me too, I'm so reassured..." Mikan spoke nervously, looking at the quarrel fearfully. "I-I don't like violence... at least, n-not seeing it directly. Even though I like dealing with the wounded, it's not my cup of tea..."

"I understand." Peko nodded calmly. "Not everyone is ready to see this kind of scene."

"E-especially since... I've seen that chimpanzees are quite violent by nature... a-and since they're very strong, apparently... stronger than a normal man. I-I think it's in relation to the muscles..."

"Is that true?" Komaru looked at her in surprise. "It's... scary enough, to be honest..."

In the meantime, the two yakuzas who had stopped their bickering turned to Mikan the moment she dropped this information, before Natsumi teasingly glanced at her brother. "You hear the expert? All the more reason not to get cocky."

"Shut it! We got away safe and sound, that's what fucking matters, right?!"

Fuyuhiko's reaction panicked poor Mikan, whose eyes were already starting to moisten. "S-sorry! I-I'm sorry, I couldn't bring myself to discuss a sensitive subject!"

"Hey, it's okay!" Makoto put his hand on her shoulder quickly, but gently. "It's just something Fuyu-chan doesn't like, that's all."

"Yes, you can't blame yourself for that." Peko added in a neutral tone. "The important thing is that we learn something from it."

"On that we agree. Right, Nii-san?"

"Are you serious right now?"

"When opportunity knocks, take it!"

Another petty feud, this time more comical than the previous one, was born, with a more amused look from the others. Only Mikan seemed a little confused by this, but considering the nature of the relationship between the Kuzuryus, which seemed strange even to those who have learned to live with it, you couldn't blame her.

Still, she walked up to Peko and asked, "Uh... can I ask you a question? Y-you seem close to Kuzuryu-san, so..."

Raising an eyebrow, the person concerned nodded her head. "Please, go ahead."

The apprentice nurse looked around nervously, before turning to Peko. "Well... I was wondering... why are all the men in black here? They've been watching us for a while..."

And indeed, Makoto had noticed that too. Not right away, of course, but after a while he noticed that wherever they went, there were always at least one or two men or women in black uniforms and sunglasses. They never approached the group, but as soon as someone separated, one of the men or women would follow. And they all seemed to... put their hands over their ears when they spoke. "A means of communication? Who puts their hand in their ear? I wonder what it looks like..."

And that question didn't seem to please Fuyuhiko. "You're gonna need to ask my sis. It's her who came up with the basic idea. I can't stand it."

This little revelation once again surprised our little hero in cahoots by turning his attention to his best friend. "Oh, yeah? You did?"

Once again, the girl looked away proudly. "Well yeah, think about it! Somebody's got to be there to make sure no more bullshit happens!"

"A-ah, okay... I didn't know..." Mikan smiles nervously as she walks towards her. "I-I thank you... it's just that I'm not used to having - ah!"

"Tsumiki-san! Careful - oof!"

As she walked, she didn't notice that one of the paving stones was higher than the others, and she stumbled on it. Makoto tried to catch her but ended up falling on it too.

What was the result? Our little hero in cahoots, finding himself on top of Mikan. It's a good thing he wasn't directly on top of her, otherwise the scene would have been even more awkward.

"Ah!" Makoto got up in a hurry, his face all red. "I-I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" He reached out his hand to her despite his red face. "Here, let me help you! Are you all right?"

"It's nothing... it's my fault, it happens to me all the time..." Mikan looked away clearly looking embarrassed, but accepted all help. "N-no, I'm fine, thank you..."

"Hey, you picked a bad time to be clumsy, big brother!" Komaru walked towards her brother, obviously frustrated by what she had just seen. "You could at least check if you hadn't hurt her!"

"I-I was going to!"

"D-Don't scold him, please! I'm the one who was clumsy! I'm sorry!"

This time, it was the group of friends who put on a show, less spectacularly than the other one, but some people still gave them their attention.

Natsumi, for her part, observed the scene with a serious and imperturbable look. So much so, in fact, that her brother had to put his hand on her shoulder abruptly to get her attention, while whispering rather frustrated, "Okay, seriously, what's your deal? You know I don't like that kind of attention! It makes me look like a fucking celebrity and I hate it!"

"I agree, miss." Peko joined the conversation. "I don't see why you asked for bodyguards for today. I could have done the job-"

"Yeah, and get more attention? I'm sorry, but no. Tsumiki doesn't need more stress like that. And with what happened last time, we might as well not take any chances." She replied seriously, and turned to Peko. "And I thought I told you it was out of the question. There are people who get paid for this, so you don't have to worry about anything."

"B-but..." The silver-haired girl looked at her in surprise, before resigning herself. "O-okay, if you want, miss-"

"And stop talking so formal. Someone might hear us."

"My-My apologies..."

The frustration became more evident on Fuyuhiko's face. "You didn't answer my question. Why are you doing this? It's not like you to ask a question like that either."

The only answer he got was a serious look from his sister, but it wasn't directed at him. Instead, he turned his attention to Mikan, who was still apologizing to the Naegis.

"It's not about me or you in this case."

* * *

_**END OF THE FREE TIME EVENT**_

* * *

_**And boom! Second Free Time Event over!**_

…

_**Yeah, I'm gonna be completely honest with you. If the last one sounded a little bit cunning, this one, on the other hand, under the circumstances... yeah, I stepped up the pace. So, at times, I think I could have done better, and I'm not happy with that. And now I'm really asking, tell me in comments what you think, it's important.**_

_**Well, I just hope I left enough clues for the next chapter. Again, feel free to tell me.**_

_**Oh, and my fellow writer friends said hi btw.**_

_**SO! I owe you some explanations, don't I? So, what happened in July, the month I was supposed to release something?**_

_**Well to start off, July was a LOT more eventful month than I would have thought! Starting with my birthday at the end of the month! And yeah, I'm 24 years old now!**_

_**Well, I know you don't care, but there you go, you should have said so.**_

_**Then I've had a lot of contacts to deal with at work. One thing I was supposed to do in July... but it was canceled at the last minute. So I had to rush, but with everything that happened... I had a hard time getting back into it.**_

_**And yeah, the writer's block. It's tough, huh?**_

_**What's sure is, though, I got something for September... and that's when I got some bad news.**_

_**I'll have to revise my schedule. From now on, I'll only be releasing one chapter every two months.**_

…

…

…

_**It's okay, nobody drowns in their desperation? All right.**_

_**Yep, here I am. Now that I have to get ready for work, I won't have as much time for myself.**_

_**HOWEVER! I'm not giving up on this story, far from it. I'll be back in October, I'll find time to come back with a good chapter, this time focused on the story mode.**_

_**Until then, be well and be happy, that's the most important thing. Ciao!**_

_**Pupla out, Corona begone. Stay safe, people.**_


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